Sorbents for the oxidation and removal of mercury

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments disclosed relate to sorbents for the oxidation and removal of mercury. The present invention includes removing mercury from a mercury-containing gas using a halide-promoted and optionally ammonium-protected sorbent that can include carbon sorbent, non-carbon sorbent, or a combination thereof.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit ofpriority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/295,594, filed on Oct. 17, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/102,896 filed on Dec. 11, 2013, which isa continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/429,058 filed onApr. 23, 2009 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,652,235), which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/201,595filed on Aug. 29, 2008 (abandoned), which is a divisional of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/209,163 filed on Aug. 22, 2005 (now U.S. Pat.No. 7,435,286), which claims priority from provisional application No.60/605,640 filed on Aug. 30, 2004. The disclosures of U.S. patentapplication Ser. Nos. 14/102,896; 12/429,058; 12/201,595; 11/209,163;and 60/605,640 are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit ofpriority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/382,114, filed on Dec. 16, 2016, which is a continuation-in-part ofand claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/712,558, filed on May 14, 2015, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/966,768, filed onAug. 14, 2013 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,821,819), which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/427,665, filed on Mar. 22, 2012 (nowU.S. Pat. No. 8,512,655), which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/419,219, filed on Apr. 6, 2009 (now U.S. Pat.No. 8,168,147), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/201,595, filed on Aug. 29, 2008, which is a division of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/209,163, filed on Aug. 22, 2005 (now U.S.Pat. No. 7,435,286), which claims the benefit of priority under 35U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/605,640,filed on Aug. 30, 2004, the disclosures of which are incorporated hereinin their entirety by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/382,114 is also a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit ofpriority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. application Ser. No. 14/195,360,filed Mar. 3, 2014, which claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C.§ 119(e) to U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/773,549, filedMar. 6, 2013, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in theirentirety by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,114 isalso a continuation-in-part and claims the benefit of priority under 35U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/554,018 (now U.S.Pat. No. 8,173,566), filed Jan. 23, 2007, which claims the benefit ofpriority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. provisional patent applicationSer. No. 60/464,868, filed Apr. 23, 2003, the disclosures of which areincorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

This invention was made with United States Government support underGrant Numbers R 827649-01 and CR 830929-01 awarded by the United StatesEnvironmental Protection Agency and under Contract NumberDE-FC26-98FT40320 awarded by the United States Department of Energy. TheUnited States Government has certain rights in this invention.

BACKGROUND

The combustion and gasification of fossil fuel such as coal generatesflue gas that contains mercury and other trace elements that originatefrom the fuel. The release of the mercury (and other pollutants) to theenvironment must be controlled by use of sorbents, scrubbers, filters,precipitators, and other removal technologies. Mercury is initiallypresent in the elemental form during combustion and gasification. Indownstream process sections, such as in the ducts, emissions controlequipment, and stack of a combustion system, some of the elementalmercury is oxidized. The amount that is oxidized depends on the amountof acid gases present in the flue gas, residence time, temperatures, andseveral other factors. Amounts of mercury vary with the fuel, butconcentrations of mercury in the stream of flue gas from coal combustionare typically less than 5 parts per billion (ppb). Large coal combustionfacilities such as electric utilities may emit a pound of mercury, ormore, per day. Mercury removal applications include, without limitation,flue gas from coal (or other fossil fuel) combustion, wasteincineration, product gas from gasification, as well as off gases frommineral processing, metal refining, retorting, cement manufacturing,chloralkali plants, dental facilities, and crematories.

Several types of mercury control methods for flue gas have beeninvestigated, including addition (e.g., injection) of fine sorbentparticles into a flue gas duct and passing the flue gas through asorbent bed. Fine-particle sorbents for addition/injection include, forexample, activated carbon, metal oxide sorbent, sodium sulfideparticles, and basic silicate or oxide sorbents. When the particles areadded the mercury captured on the sorbent particles is removed from thegas stream in a bag house or electrostatic precipitator (ESP) andcollected along with ash particulate. The sulfide and basic silicate andoxide particles are effective only for the oxidized mercury, and themetal oxide sorbents exhibit slower capture kinetics than the carbonparticles. Additionally, injection (or addition) of fine carbonparticles into the flue gas stream has been only partially successful inremoving mercury, especially elemental mercury, where effective removalof only about 60% is attained for some applications with a FF (fabricfilter) to collect carbon and ash. Even lower removal rates have beenobserved when using an ESP to collect the carbon because the contacttime of the carbon with the gas is very short.

The addition of halogen or halogen precursors in a hot zone, followed bycontact with an alkaline material in a wet or dry scrubber is anotherapproach known in the art. With such an approach, elemental mercury isclaimed to be oxidized by the halogen to Hg(II) which is collected bythe alkaline material in the scrubber. For example, see U.S. Pat. No.6,808,692 (Oehr), U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,267 (Hilgen). U.S. Pat. No.5,435,980 (Felsvang), U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,909 (Dangtran), U.S. patentapplication no. 20020114749 (Cole), U.S. Pat. No. 6,638,485 (Iida). U.S.patent application no. 20030185718 (Sellakumar). U.S. patent applicationno. 20030147793 (Breen), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,358 (Vosteen). However,even though it is known to add halogen forms at some stage of thecombustion process, such a process does not utilize a complexing methodon a sorbent surface for conducting the oxidation and capture. Further,the alkaline material is rapidly surface-coated by the largeconcentrations of acid gases, lowering its capacity for adsorption ofHg(II). It is also recognized that the halogen forms initiallyintroduced or generated are far more reactive to the largeconcentrations of SO₂ and moisture in the flue gas, and so gas-phasereactions of the halogens with Hg are hindered.

A more efficient way to capture mercury vapor is to combine the halogencompounds with activated carbons. This method for capturing elemental Hgin air or flue gas is described in several patents. In U.S. Pat. No.1,984,164, Stock teaches impregnation of activated carbon with halogens,particularly iodine, to remove mercury from ambient air. In U.S. Pat.No. 3,194,629, Dreibelbis et al. impregnated activated carbon with aniodine-potassium iodide mixture. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,523, Revoir etal. used interhalogens such as ICI and ICl₃ with activated carbon. InU.S. Pat. No. 3,956,458, Anderson teaches a dual sulfur and iodidefilter system. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,173 deJong et al use chlorinatedactivated carbon filters. Owing to the very weak adsorption of iodine onactivated carbon, the iodine in these described inventions is quicklydesorbed rendering the iodinated sorbent ineffective at the temperaturesencountered in flue gas cleaning.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method ofseparating mercury from a mercury-containing gas. The method includescombusting a fossil fuel in a combustion chamber, to provide themercury-containing gas, wherein the mercury-containing gas includes ahalogen or halide promoter, wherein the halogen or halide promoterincludes iodine, iodide, or a combination thereof. The method includesadding a sorbent material into the mercury-containing gas downstream ofthe combustion chamber such that the sorbent material reacts with thehalogen or halide promoter in the mercury-containing gas to form apromoted sorbent. The method includes reacting mercury in themercury-containing gas with the promoted sorbent, to form amercury/sorbent composition. The method also includes separating themercury/sorbent composition from the mercury-containing gas.

In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method ofseparating mercury from a mercury-containing gas. The method includescombusting a fossil fuel in a combustion chamber, to provide themercury-containing gas, wherein the mercury-containing gas includes thefirst halogen or halide promoter. The method includes adding a sorbentmaterial into the mercury-containing gas downstream of the combustionchamber such that the sorbent material reacts with the first halogen orhalide promoter in the mercury-containing gas to form a promotedsorbent, wherein the sorbent material is a promoted sorbent obtained byreaction of a base sorbent with a second halogen or halide promoter.Conditions (a), (b), or (c) are satisfied, wherein (a) the first halogenor halide promoter includes iodine, iodide, or a combination thereof,(b), the second halogen or halide promoter includes iodine, iodide, or acombination thereof, or (c) both (a) and (b). The method includesreacting mercury in the mercury-containing gas with the promotedsorbent, to form a mercury/sorbent composition. The method also includesseparating the mercury/sorbent composition from the mercury-containinggas.

In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method forseparating mercury from a mercury containing gas. The method includes(a) providing a sorbent material. The method includes (b) providing ahalogen or halide promoter, wherein the halogen or halide promoterincludes iodine, iodide, or a combination thereof. The method includes(c) promoting at least a portion of the sorbent material by chemicallyreacting the sorbent material with the halogen or halide promoter toform a promoted halogenated sorbent. The method includes (d) chemicallyreacting elemental mercury in the mercury containing gas with thepromoted halogenated sorbent to form a mercury/sorbent chemicalcomposition. The method also includes (e) separating particulates fromthe mercury containing gas to form a cleaned gas, the particulatesincluding ash and the first mercury/sorbent chemical composition.

In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method forseparating mercury from a mercury-containing gas stream. The methodincludes contacting a mercury-containing gas stream with a sorbentincluding promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles, to form amercury-sorbent composition, wherein the ammonium salt-protected sorbentparticles are iodine-promoted, iodide-promoted, or a combinationthereof. The method also includes separating at least some of themercury-sorbent composition from the mercury-containing gas stream, togive a separated gas.

In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method forseparating mercury from a mercury-containing gas stream. The methodincludes contacting a mercury-containing gas stream with an activatedcarbon sorbent including HI-promoted ammonium sulfate-protectedactivated carbon sorbent particles, to form a mercury-sorbentcomposition. The method also includes separating at least some of themercury-sorbent composition from the mercury-containing gas stream, togive a separated gas.

In various embodiments, the present invention provides ammoniumsalt-protected sorbent particles. The ammonium salt-protected sorbentparticles include active sites that bind with mercury atoms, wherein theactive sites include carbocations bound to promoter anions. The ammoniumsalt-protected sorbent particles also include ammonia, an ammonium salt,or a combination thereof, in at least a surface layer thereof.

In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method forseparating mercury from a mercury-containing gas stream. The methodincludes contacting a mercury-containing gas stream with a sorbentincluding promoted or non-promoted sorbent particles and ammonia, toform a mercury-sorbent composition. The method also includes separatingat least some of the mercury-sorbent composition from themercury-containing gas stream, to give a separated gas.

In various embodiments, the present invention provides certainadvantages over other mercury sorbents and methods of using the same, atleast some of which are unexpected. For example, the method andmaterials of various embodiments of the present invention can operatemore efficiently than other methods of mercury removal. In someembodiments, the method and materials of various embodiments can removea given amount of mercury for a smaller amount of financial expenditure,as compared to other methods. For example, the method and materials ofvarious embodiments can remove a larger amount of mercury for a givenmass of sorbent, as compared to other methods of removing mercury,including as compared to other methods of removing mercury that includea carbon sorbent or a non-carbon sorbent.

In some embodiments, the promoted and optionally ammonium salt-protectedsorbent particles provide significantly more effective and economicalmercury sorbents for effluent gases, advantageously applicable totreating gas streams from coal-fired equipment and gasification systems.In some embodiments, ammonia formed from the ammoniumsalt-protection/decomposition adsorbed or complexed on the sorbentsurface or in the gas phase that (e.g., owing to its basic character)can react with SO₂ or SO₃ in the mercury-containing gas stream and canprevent their interference with the sorption of mercury in or nearactive sites on the sorbent. In some embodiments, the promoted andoptionally ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles can separatemercury from a gas stream more effectively than other sorbents, such asin the presence of SO₃. In various embodiments, mercury removalefficiencies of promoted and optionally ammonium salt-protected sorbentparticles exceeds or matches that of conventional methods with addedbenefits such as reduced costs.

In some embodiments, in-flight preparation (e.g., in the furnace, in themercury-containing gas, in the injection/transport system, or acombination thereof) of the promoted and optionally ammoniumsalt-protected sorbent on location produces certain advantages. Forexample, the treatment system can be combined with the sorbent injectionsystem at the end-use site. With this technique, the halogen/halide canbe introduced to the sorbent-air mixture (or to another gas such as to acombustion or gasification gas) mixture, such as in a transport line (orother part of the sorbent storage and injection system), introduced tothe coal that produces the gas, or can be prepared in-flight in themercury-containing gas. In some embodiments, this can provide thefollowing benefits over current conventional concepts for treatingsorbents off-site: capital equipment costs at a treatment facility areeliminated; costs to operate the treatment facility are eliminated;there are no costs for transporting sorbent and additive to a treatmentfacility; the inventive process uses existing hardware and operationprocedures; the inventive technology ensures that the sorbent is alwaysfresh, and thus, more reactive; no new handling concerns are introduced;there are no costs for removing carbon from treatment system; theinventive process allows rapid on-site tailoring of additive-sorbentratios in order to match the requirements of flue gas changes, such asmay be needed when changing fuels or reducing loads, thus furtheroptimizing the economics; the inventive technology reduces the amount ofspent sorbents that are disposed; or a combination thereof.

In various embodiments, another advantage of the present inventionrelates to the use of a feedback system to more efficiently utilizecertain aspects of the invention. Where possible and desirable, themercury control technology of the present invention may utilizecontinuous measurement of mercury emissions as feedback to assist incontrol of the promoter and/or sorbent addition or addition rate.Tighter control on the sorbent and optional component(s) levels can beachieved in this way, which will ensure mercury removal requirements aremet with minimal material requirements, thus minimizing the associatedcosts. In some embodiments, the mercury emissions are continuouslymeasured downstream of the addition location, such as in the exhaust gasat the stack.

In some embodiments, the promoted and optionally ammonium salt-protectedsorbent particles can be regenerated and reused, reducing disposal ofspent sorbents and decreasing the cost of mercury removal. In someembodiments, preparation or promotion of the promoted and optionallyammonium salt-protected sorbent particles can advantageously occuron-site. On-site preparation and promotion can have advantagesincluding, for example: reduction or elimination of equipment costs andoperating costs of a separate preparation facility or location,reduction or elimination of transportation costs, fresher and morereactive sorbent, reduction of handling, on-site tailoring ofcomposition (such as when changing fuels or reducing loads).

Mercury removal efficiencies obtained exceed or match conventionalmethods with added benefits such as reduced costs. In an embodiment, amethod is provided for control of mercury in a flue gas withsubstantially lower sorbent requirements. Through enhanced sorbentreactivity, mercury removal per gram of sorbent is increased, therebydecreasing the capital and operating costs by decreasing sorbentrequirements.

In various embodiments, the use of an iodide as a promoter, such ashydrogen iodide, can result in a promoted sorbent having greater mercuryreducing and absorption activity than sorbent promoted via othermaterials such as other halides. In various embodiments, the use of anammonium salt such as ammonium sulfate in combination with the sorbentprovides a sorbent having greater mercury reducing and absorptionactivity than sorbent that is protected via other materials. In variousembodiments, the combined use of an iodide such as hydrogen iodide onthe coal or placed into the combustion chamber, along with an ammoniumsalt added along with the sorbent into the flue gas, provides a promotedammonium-salt protected sorbent that has superior mercury reducing andabsorption activity as compared to other sorbents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way oflimitation, various embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates preparation of promoted sorbents andprocesses for flue gas mercury reduction in flue gases and/or productgases from a gasification system in accordance with the presentinvention, including in-flight preparation of promoted sorbent, inaccordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates an overall proposed mechanism of promotion ofactivated carbon with iodide and subsequent reaction with elementalmercury, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates a reaction of HI with a carbene site on the activatedcarbon, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates a promoted carbenium-iodide ion pair resulting fromreaction with HI, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates a promoted carbenium-iodide ion pair in the presentof an ammonium salt, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 6 illustrates a reaction of elemental mercury with a promotedcarbenium-iodide ion pair in the presence of an ammonium salt, withammonium ions omitted for simplicity, in accordance with variousembodiments.

FIG. 7 illustrates a transition state for reaction of elemental mercurywith a promoted carbenium-iodide ion pair in the presence of an ammoniumsalt, with ammonium ions omitted for simplicity, in accordance withvarious embodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates a product of reaction of elemental mercury with apromoted carbenium-iodide ion pair in the presence of an ammonium salt,with ammonium ions omitted for simplicity, showing mercury covalentlybonded with the edge carbon of the activated carbon, in accordance withvarious embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the breakthrough curve for 5 wt/wt %HI-promoted NORIT Darco FGD sorbent (37 mg+113 mg sand) in low-HCl (1ppm) synthetic flue gas, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating breakthrough curves for 5 wt/wt %brominated NORIT Darco FGD sorbent (37 mg+113 mg sand) in low-HCl (1ppm) synthetic flue gas, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating breakthrough curves fornon-halogenated NORIT Darco FGD sorbent (37 mg+113 mg sand) in low-HCl(1 ppm) synthetic flue gas, in accordance with various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to certain embodiments of thedisclosed subject matter. While the disclosed subject matter will bedescribed in conjunction with the enumerated claims, it will beunderstood that the exemplified subject matter is not intended to limitthe claims to the disclosed subject matter.

Throughout this document, values expressed in a range format should beinterpreted in a flexible manner to include not only the numericalvalues explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also toinclude all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassedwithin that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitlyrecited. For example, a range of “about 0.1% to about 5%” or “about 0.1%to 5%” should be interpreted to include not just about 0.1% to about 5%,but also the individual values (e.g., 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) and thesub-ranges (e.g., 0.1% to 0.5%, 1.1% to 2.2%, 3.3% to 4.4%) within theindicated range. The statement “about X to Y” has the same meaning as“about X to about Y,” unless indicated otherwise. Likewise, thestatement “about X, Y, or about Z” has the same meaning as “about X,about Y, or about Z,” unless indicated otherwise.

In this document, the terms “a,” “an,” or “the” are used to include oneor more than one unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term“or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive “or” unless otherwise indicated.The statement “at least one of A and B” or “at least one of A or B” hasthe same meaning as “A, B. or A and B.” In addition, it is to beunderstood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein, and nototherwise defined, is for the purpose of description only and not oflimitation. Any use of section headings is intended to aid reading ofthe document and is not to be interpreted as limiting; information thatis relevant to a section heading may occur within or outside of thatparticular section.

In the methods described herein, the acts can be carried out in anyorder without departing from the principles of the invention, exceptwhen a temporal or operational sequence is explicitly recited.Furthermore, specified acts can be carried out concurrently unlessexplicit claim language recites that they be carried out separately. Forexample, a claimed act of doing X and a claimed act of doing Y can beconducted simultaneously within a single operation, and the resultingprocess will fall within the literal scope of the claimed process.

The term “about” as used herein can allow for a degree of variability ina value or range, for example, within 10%, within 5%, or within 1% of astated value or of a stated limit of a range, and includes the exactstated value or range.

The term “substantially” as used herein refers to a majority of, ormostly, as in at least about 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%,98%, 99%, 99.5%, 99.9%, 99.99%, or at least about 99.999% or more, or100%. The term “substantially free of” as used herein can mean havingnone or having a trivial amount of, such that the amount of materialpresent does not affect the material properties of the compositionincluding the material, such that the composition is about 0 wt % toabout 5 wt % of the material, or about 0 wt % to about 1 wt %, or about5 wt % or less, or less than, equal to, or greater than about 4.5 wt %,4, 3.5, 3, 2.5, 2, 1.5, 1, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5, 0.4, 0.3, 0.2, 0.1,0.01, or about 0.001 wt % or less. The term “substantially free of” canmean having a trivial amount of, such that a composition is about 0 wt %to about 5 wt % of the material, or about 0 wt % to about 1 wt %, orabout 5 wt % or less, or less than, equal to, or greater than about 4.5wt %, 4, 3.5, 3.2.5, 2, 1.5, 1, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5, 0.4, 0.3, 0.2,0.1, 0.01, or about 0.001 wt % or less, or about 0 wt %.

As used herein, the term “polymer” refers to a molecule having at leastone repeating unit and can include copolymers.

A novel type of promoted halogenated sorbent was described in U.S. Pat.No. 7,435,286, wherein a carbenium halide ion pair is formed on the edgestructure of an activated carbon. This carbenium halide ion pair was ahighly effective oxidant and capturing agent for elemental Hg incombustion flue gas. To generate an even more effective form of thesorbent, a second acidic promoter was used, thus further distinguishingthe sorbent from those prepared by simply adding chlorine or brominevapor to activated carbon. These secondary components include ammoniumsalts as well as Lewis acids of the nonmetal halide type. Although it iseffective when chloride or bromide are the halide counterions, thesorbent exhibits similar or higher reaction rates for oxidation ofelemental Hg and similar or higher capture efficiencies when iodide isthe counterion in the carbenium sorbent. This continuation describesfurther demonstrations of the high reactivity and effectiveness of theiodide-containing sorbent and teaches methods for its formation and use.

Method for Removal of Mercury.

Various embodiments of the present invention provide sorbents forremoval of mercury from coal-fired power plant emissions and methods ofusing the same. The method can include placing a promoter or promoterprecursor (e.g., as a liquid, solid, gas, or combination thereof) intothe combustion chamber of the furnace, either via addition (e.g.,injection) into the combustion chamber or via addition to the coal priorto feeding the coal to the combustion chamber. The promoter precursor,if used, transforms into the promoter under the temperature conditionsof the combustion chamber and flue gas. The promoter transforms to agaseous state in the combustion chamber and flue gas. The methodincludes adding a sorbent into the flue gas, wherein the sorbent caninclude a carbon sorbent, a non-carbon sorbent, or a combinationthereof. The sorbent added into the flue gas reacts with the gaseouspromoter to form a promoted sorbent. The method optionally includesaddition of additional materials into the flue gas, such as an ammoniumsalt (e.g., ammonium sulfate), alkaline materials (e.g., lime), clay(e.g., bentonite), or a combination thereof. The ammonium salt can reactwith the promoted sorbent to form a promoted ammonium salt-protectedsorbent. In some embodiments the ammonium salt can be a non-carbonsorbent, and can optionally be promoted by the promoter. The method canalso include separating the sorbent that has reacted with mercury fromthe mercury-containing gas, such as using a particulate removal device,to provide a cleaned gas.

Although the sorbents and methods herein are described primarily withrespect to mercury removal, other materials can also be removed by thesorbent and method, such as boron, tin, arsenic, gallium, Sb, Pb, Bi,Cd, Ag, Cu, Zn, Se, other contaminants, or combinations thereof, willalso react with the oxidation sites generated on the carbon.

The sorbent can include a carbon sorbent (e.g., activated carbon), anon-carbon sorbent, or a combination thereof. The carbon sorbent can beany of several types, as understood by those skilled in the art. Forexample, the activated carbon may include powdered activated carbon,granular activated carbon, carbon black, carbon fiber, carbon honeycombor plate structure, aerogel carbon film, pyrolysis char, a regeneratedactivated carbon sorbent, an activated carbon or regenerated activatedcarbon with a mass mean particle size of 1 micron to 1.000 microns, 1micron to 200 microns, 1 micron to 100 microns, 1 micron to 20 microns,10 microns to 50 microns, 50 microns to 200 microns, or a size that isgreater than the fly ash in a flue gas stream to be treated (e.g.,greater than 40 microns, or greater than 60 microns), or a combinationthereof. The non-carbon sorbent can be any suitable non-carbon material,such as a porous felsic material, a vesicular felsic material, a porousbasaltic material, a vesicular basaltic material, a clay-based compound,an alkaline compound, a calcium hydroxide compound, a sodium acetatecompound, a bicarbonate compound, or a combination thereof. Thenon-carbon sorbent can be a clay (e.g., bentonite), an ammonium salt(e.g., ammonium sulfate), an alkaline material (e.g., lime), or acombination thereof. In various embodiments, the non-carbon sorbent canbe an ammonium salt that is promoted by the halogen or halide promoter.In various embodiments, mercury removal efficiencies of embodimentsincluding non-carbon sorbent (e.g., promoted or not) can exceed or matchthat of conventional methods with added benefits such as reduced costs.

The sorbent can have any suitable proportion of the carbon sorbent tothe non-carbon sorbent, such as a weight ratio of about 0:1, about 1:0,about 5:1 to about 1:5, about 2:1 to about 1:2, or about 5:1 or less, orless than, equal to, or greater than about 4:1, 3:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3,1:4, or about 1:5 or more. The carbon sorbent and non-carbon sorbent,together, can form any suitable proportion of the sorbent, such as about100 wt %, such as 50 wt % or more, or less than, equal to, or greaterthan 60 wt %, 70, 80, 85, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 99, 99.9, or 99.99 wt % ormore. The sorbent can have any suitable particle size (e.g., largestdimension). In an embodiment, the sorbent may have a mass mean particlediameter of 1 micron to 1.000 microns, 1 micron to 200 microns, 1 micronto 100 microns, 1 micron to 20 microns, 10 microns to 50 microns, 50microns to 200 microns, 1-15 micrometers, 5-25 micrometers, 25-40micrometers, 40-100 micrometers, 60-200 micrometers, or greater thanabout 200 micrometers. In some embodiments, the promoted and optionallyammonium salt-protected sorbent can have an average particle sizedistribution dissimilar to the entrained ash particles in the gas streamfrom which mercury is to be removed, such that the reaction product canbe substantially removed from the entrained ash particles by physicalmeans.

The promoted sorbent can include any suitable amount of promoter. Forexample, the sorbent can include from about 1 to about 30 grams promoterper 100 grams of sorbent (e.g., carbon sorbent, non-carbon sorbent, or acombination thereof). The promoter can be about 0.001 wt % to about 30wt % of the promoted and optionally ammonium salt-protected sorbent,about 1 wt % to about 15 wt %, or about 0.001 wt % or less, or lessthan, equal to, or greater than about 0.01 wt %, 0.1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, or about 30wt % or more. Further, for example, when the promoter or promoterprecursor are added to the coal or to the combustion zone (e.g.,furnace), the promoter (or promoter precursor) can have a concentrationof about 1 to about 3000 ppmw per weight of coal, or about 1 to 1000ppmw, or about 1 to 500, or about 1 to 250 ppmw, or about 1 to 100 ppmw,or about 1 to 50 ppmw, or about 1-30 ppmw, or about 1 to 10 ppmw, orabout 1 to 5 ppmw per weight of coal.

The promoter can be any suitable promoter that forms a promoted andoptionally ammonium-protected sorbent as described herein. For example,the promoter can be a halide promoter such as HCl, HBr, HI, Br₂, Cl₂,I₂, BrCl, IBr, ICl, ClF, PBr₃, PCl₅, SCl₂, CuCl₂, CuBr₂, Al₂Br₆, FeI_(x)(x=1, 2, 3, or 4). FeBr_(y) (y=1, 2, 3, or 4). FeCl_(z) (z=1, 2, 3, or4), MnBr₂, MnCl₂, NiBr₂, NiCl₂, NiI₂, ZnBr₂, ZnCl₂, ZnI₂, NH₄Br, NH₄Cl,NH₄I, NH₄F, or a combination thereof. The promoter precursor can be ametal halide or a nonmetal halide. The promoter can be HBr.

The method can include forming the promoter from a promoter precursor,such as during combustion with the coal or downstream of the coalcombustion in the flue gas. The promoter precursor can be any suitablematerial that can transform into a suitable promoter, such as anelemental halogen, a Group V halide, a Group VI halide, a hydrohalide,an ammonium halide, a metal halide, a nonmetal halide, an alkali earthmetal halide, an alkaline earth metal halide, or a combination thereof.The promoter precursor can be NaBr, NaCl, CaI₂, NaI, Br⁻, Cl⁻, I⁻, KI,KCl, LiCl, LiBr, CuCl₂, CuBr₂, AgCl, AgBr, CHI₃, CH₃Br, AuBr, FeI_(x)(x=1, 2, 3, or 4), FeBr_(y) (y=1, 2, 3, or 4). FeCl_(z) (z=1, 2, 3, or4), MgBr₂, MgCl₂, MnBr₂, MnCl₂, NiBr₂, NiCl₂, NiI₂, ZnBr₂, ZnCl₂, ZnI₂.CaI₂, CaBr₂, CaCl₂, or a combination thereof. The promoter precursor canhave any suitable particle size, such as a particle size of about 0.1 μmto about 1000 μm, or about 0.1 μm or less, or less than, equal to, orgreater than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30,35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300, 350,400, 450, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, or about 1000 μm or more.

In various embodiments, at least one of the promoter and the promoterprecursor is independently HCl, HBr, HI, Br₂, Cl₂, I₂, BrCl, IBr, ICl,ClF, PBr₃, PCl₅, SCl₂, CuCl₂, CuBr₂, Al₂Br₆, FeI_(x) (x=1, 2, 3, or 4),FeBr_(y) (y=1, 2, 3, or 4), FeCl_(z) (z=1, 2, 3, or 4), MnBr₂, MnCl₂,NiBr₂, NiCl₂, NiI₂, ZnBr₂, ZnCl₂, ZnI₂, NH₄Br, NH₄Cl, NH₄I, NH₄F, NaBr,NaCl, NaI, Br⁻, Cl⁻, I⁻, KI, KCl, LiCl, LiBr, CuCl₂, CuBr₂, AgCl, AgBr,CHI₃, CaI₂, CH₃Br, AuBr, FeI_(x) (x=1, 2, 3, or 4), FeBr_(y) (y=1, 2, 3,or 4), FeCl_(z) (z=1, 2, 3, or 4), MgBr₂, MgCl₂, MnBr₂, MnCl₂, NiBr₂,NiCl₂, NiI₂, ZnBr₂, ZnCl₂, ZnI₂, CaI₂, CaBr₂, CaCl₂, or a combinationthereof.

Promotion.

The method can include combusting coal that includes the promoter (e.g.,halide promoter), a promoter precursor, or a combination thereof (e.g.,coal to which the promoter precursor has been added), wherein thepromoter or promoter precursor is in the form of a liquid (e.g.,solution), solid, gas, or combination thereof. The promoter or promoterprecursor can be added to the combustion chamber as a liquid, solid,gas, or combination thereof. The promoter precursor can transform intothe promoter during or after the combustion. The promoter can combinewith an added sorbent downstream of the combustion to form a promotedsorbent. The method can include adding the promoter, promoter precursor,or a combination thereof, to the coal prior to the combustion thereof.The promoter, promoter precursor, or a combination thereof, can be addedto the coal in any suitable way, for example, as a solid, liquid, gas,or in an organic solvent, such as a hydrocarbon, a chlorinatedhydrocarbon, supercritical carbon dioxide, or a combination thereof.

The method can include adding into the mercury-containing gas stream thepromoter, a promoter precursor, or a combination thereof. For example,the promoter, the promoter precursor, or a combination thereof, can beadded (e.g., as a solid, liquid, gas, or combination thereof) into thefurnace, into the flue gas, or into any suitable location that allowsthe promoter to combine with the sorbent to form a promoted sorbent.

The method can include adding the promoter or promoter precursor within(e.g., to) the coal/gas combustion zone, or gasification zone. Thepromoter precursor can transform into the promoter during or after thecombustion, or gasification. The promoter can combine with an addedsorbent downstream of the combustion to form a promoted sorbent.

Ammonium Salt Protection.

The promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent can include ammonia (e.g.,ammonia that forms from thermal decomposition of the ammonium salt), theammonium salt, or a combination thereof. The ammonia can result from theammonium salt protection of the promoted sorbent or non-promotedsorbent. The ammonia or ammonium salt can be any suitable proportion ofthe promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent, such as about 0.001 wt %to about 30 wt %, about 0.01 wt % to about 15 wt %, or about 0.001 wt %or less, or less than, equal to, or greater than about 0.01 wt %, 0.1,1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24,26, 28, or about 30 wt % or more. The released ammonia can collect inthe pore structures of the sorbent or release into the gas phase inclose proximity to the sorbent particle. In either space the ammonia canreact with and neutralize sulfur(VI) species in the gas phase, removingthem from the gas phase and preventing their interference with theactive site on the sorbent surface. Some ammonia can also bind todeposits of ammonium salt surrounding the active site, and can reactwith sulfur VI species before they neutralize the active site in thesorbent. In some embodiments, the ammonium salt can be promoted and canreact with mercury; for example, the counterion of the ammonium salt canact as a Lewis base, donating electrons to an elemental halogen promoterto form a diatomic elemental halogen having an electron-rich end and anelectron-deficient end that is activated for reaction with mercury,thereby providing a promoted non-carbon sorbent that is activated forreaction with mercury via reaction of electron-rich mercury with theelectron-deficient end of the elemental halogen.

In some embodiments, the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent caninclude an anionic counterion of the ammonium salt. The anioniccounterion can result from the ammonium salt protection of the promotedsorbent or a non-promoted sorbent. The anionic counterion of theammonium salt can be any suitable proportion about 0.001 wt % to about30 wt % of the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent, 0.01 wt % toabout 15 wt %, or about 0.001 wt % or less, or less than, equal to, orgreater than about 0.01 wt %, 0.1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, or about 30 wt % or more.

The method can further include protecting a precursor sorbent with anammonium salt to form the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbentparticles. The precursor sorbent can be a promoted sorbent, or a sorbentthat is free of halide-promotion. The protecting of the promoted ornon-promoted sorbent particles with the ammonium salt can includesubjecting a mixture including the sorbent particles and the ammoniumsalt to heating, microwaving, irradiating, or a combination thereof. Themixture including the sorbent particles and the ammonium salt can haveany suitable ratio of the sorbent particles (e.g., either promoted orunpromoted) to the ammonium salt, such as about 1:100 to about 100:1,about 1:1 to about 1:5, or about 1:100 or less, or less than, equal to,or greater than about 1:90, 1:80, 1:70, 1:60, 1:50, 1:40, 1:30, 1:20,1:10, 1:9, 1:8, 1:7, 1:6, 1:5, 1:4, 1:3, 1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1,5:1.6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1, 10:1, 20:1, 30:1, 40:1, 50:1, 60:1, 70:1, 80:1,90:1, or about 100:1 or more.

The promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles can be ammoniumsalt-protected prior to addition to the mercury-containing gas stream,wherein the ammonium salt-protection of the promoted sorbent particlesor of precursor sorbent particles occurs prior to addition of thepromoted sorbent particles to the mercury-containing gas stream. Theammonium salt-protection of the promoted sorbent particles or ofprecursor sorbent particles (e.g., sorbent particles free of promotion)can occur in-flight in the mercury-containing gas stream.

The ammonium salt can be added to a coal-burning power plant at anysuitable location. The method can include adding the ammonium salt intothe mercury-containing gas stream, such as into the flue gas, such as atany location within the combustion zone or downstream of the combustionzone. The ammonium salt can be added together with the promoted sorbentparticles or precursor sorbent particles (e.g., sorbent particles freeof halide-promotion) into the mercury-containing gas stream. Theammonium salt can be added into the mercury-containing gas streamseparately from addition of the promoted sorbent particles or precursorsorbent particles into the mercury-containing gas stream.

The ammonium salt can be any suitable ammonium salt that can form anammonium salt-protected sorbent as described herein. The ammonium saltcan be an ammonium halide that is also used as a promoter precursor inthe method, wherein addition of the promoter precursor and the ammoniumsalt can occur simultaneously as the same step in the method,advantageously producing ammonia and promoting the sorbent. The ammoniumsalt can be an ammonium halide, a methylammonium halide, an ammoniumsalt of an oxyacid of a Group VI element, an ammonium salt of an oxyacidof a Group V element, or a combination thereof. The counterion of theammonium salt can be an anion of a halogen or Group VI element, anoxyanion of a Group VI element such as sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate,dithionite, or an oxyanion of a Group V element such as nitrate,nitrite, phosphate, phosphite, thiophosphate, or carbonate. The ammoniumsalt can be ammonium bromide, ammonium iodide, ammonium chloride, anorganic halide with a formula of CH₃NH₃X (wherein X is Cl, Br or I),ammonium sulfate, ammonium hydrogen sulfate, ammonium sulfite, ammoniumhydrogen sulfite, ammonium persulfate, ammonium pyrosulfate, ammoniumthiosulphate, ammonium dithionite, ammonium aluminium sulfate, ammoniumiron sulfate, ammonium sulfamate, ammonium phosphate, diammoniumphosphate, ammonium hydrogen phosphate, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate,ammonium thiophosate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrite, ammoniumcarbonate, ammonium thiocyanate, ammonium sulfide, ammonium hydrogensulfide, ammonium acetate, ammonium carbamate, ammonium carbonate,ammonium chlorate, ammonium chromate, ammonium fluoride, ammoniumformate, ammonium hydroxide, ammonium perchlorate, or a combinationthereof. The ammonium salt can be ammonium sulfate. The ammonium saltcan have any suitable particle size, such as a particle size of about0.1 μm to about 1000 μm, about 0.1 μm to about 10 μm, or about 0.1 μm orless, or less than, equal to, or greater than about 0.5 μm, 1, 2, 3, 4,5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90,100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600, 700, 800,900, or about 1000 μm or more.

Ammonium Salt-Protected Sorbent Particles.

In various embodiments, the present invention provides ammoniumsalt-protected sorbent particles, such as any embodiment of the promotedor unpromoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles described hereinor that can perform an embodiment of the method for mercury removaldescribed herein. The ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles caninclude ammonia, an ammonium salt, or a combination thereof in at leasta surface layer thereof.

In some embodiments, the ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles arepromoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles. For example, thepromoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles can include activesites that bind with mercury atoms. The active sites can includecarbocations bound to promoter anions (e.g., halides).

The ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles can further include ananionic counterion. The anionic counterion can be derived from theammonium salt or precursor thereof.

Hydrogen Iodide-Promoted Sorbent.

An iodine promoter, or promoter precursor, can be introduced into thefurnace (combustion zone) or hot zone as either an alkali iodide salt(or solution) or as an oxidizing iodine salt. The iodine salt can be anysuitable iodine salt, CaI₂, NaI, KI, CHI₃, FeI_(x) (x=1, 2, 3, or 4),NiI₂, ZnI₂, CaI₂, HI, IBr, ICl, NH₄I, or a combination thereof. The oneor more iodine salts can be converted at high temperature to anelemental form, such as to the elemental iodine, which further reactswith flue gas components to form a variety of forms including hydrogeniodide (HI) and other nonmetal iodides. These forms then further reactwith added sorbent (e.g., carbon, non-carbon, or a combination thereof),or sorbent impregnated with the secondary components, leading toformation of the promoted form of sorbent. In sorbents including carbon(e.g., activated carbon), the promoted form of sorbent includes reactivecarbenium iodide species. A similar process of activation also occursfor non-carbon sorbents.

For other technologies, where molecular iodine (I₂) is added directly tosorbent, the addition is recognized in the art to occur in a reversiblefashion, and subsequently iodine vapor is emitted from the sorbent evenat lower temperatures. Thus, concentrations of remaining iodine on thesorbent at elevated temperatures is extremely low. On carbon sorbents,the molecular iodine in the reversible state is believed to bephysisorbed and attached not at the edge structures but rather on thebasal planes as a weak pi-complex, and in this complexed state, themolecular iodine is not a good oxidant and capturing agent.

In contrast, the promoted sorbent of this invention is thermally stableand does not emit the purple vapors characteristic of iodine even whenheated to temperatures of 125° C. typically encountered in utility fluegas. Unlike sorbent exposed to iodine vapor, the promoted sorbent inthis invention is odorless and does not cause skin irritation since thehydrogen iodide is completely reacted with the sorbent to produce theHI-promoted sorbent. It is therefore structurally similar in compositionto the bromide-containing sorbents described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,435,286.XPS spectra has demonstrated that the bromide-promoted sorbent containsboth covalent carbon-bound (organic) bromide as well as anionic bromidepaired with the carbenium ions on the carbon surface.

The present invention provides a cost-effective way to capturepollutants by utilizing exceptionally reactive halogen/halide promotedsorbents (carbon, non-carbon, or a combination thereof) using a iodide(or other halogen/halide) treatment that enhances capture of mercury viamercury-sorbent surface reactions, at very short contact times ofseconds or less. The sorbent does not require in situ activation (noinduction period) in the gas stream to achieve high reactivity, as do,for example, conventional activated carbon sorbents. The reactivity ofthe sorbent toward the pollutants is greatly enhanced and the sorptioncapacity can be regenerated, the promoted sorbent may be regenerated,recycled and/or reused.

The promoted sorbents, treatment techniques, and optional additivesdiscussed herein have applicability to mercury control from the productor effluent gas or gases from gasification systems, syngas generators,and other mercury-containing gas streams, in addition to the flue gasfrom combustion systems. Thus, it should be understood that the termscombustion system and flue gas as used throughout this description mayapply equally to gasification systems and syngas or fuel gas, as will beunderstood by those skilled in the art.

Mercury Control System.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic flow diagram is provided of mercurycontrol system 100 including preparation of promoted sorbents, and fluegas mercury reduction, in accordance with embodiments of the presentinvention. There is provided sorbent reservoir 110 (e.g., carbonsorbent, non-carbon material, or a combination thereof, wherein carbonsorbents can include powdered activated carbon, granular activatedcarbon, carbon black, carbon fiber, aerogel carbon, pyrolysis char, anycarbonaceous material described herein or a material derived viapyrolization/devolatization thereof, or a combination thereof) whereinthe reservoir 110 can optionally include ammonium salt and/or alkali, anoptional halogen/halide promoter (or promoter precursor) reservoir 120,an optional ammonium salt reservoir 130, and an optional alkali (orammonium salt) component reservoir 180, each of which with correspondingflow control device(s) 201, 202, 203, and 208/209, respectively.

In conjunction with the optional alkali (or ammonium salt) componentreservoir 180, optional flow control devices 208 and 209 can be usedindependently, together, or not at all. Reservoirs 110, 120, 130, and180 connect through their respective flow control devices and viaassociated piping, to transport line 115. Optional alkali (or ammoniumsalt) component reservoir 180 may also connect, through respective flowcontrol devices and via associated piping, to transport line 118. Asource of air, nitrogen, or other transport gas(es) is provided by gassource 170 to transport line 115 for the purpose of entraining materialsdischarged from reservoirs 110, 120, 130, and 180 and injecting suchmaterials, via injection point 116, into contaminated flue gas stream15. A source of air, nitrogen, or other transport gas(es) may beprovided by gas source 171 to transport line 118 for the purpose ofentraining materials discharged from reservoirs 180 and injecting suchmaterials, via injection point 119, into flue gas stream 15. Reservoirs110, 120, 130, and 180 may be the same or different, as desired.Reservoirs 110, 120, 130, and 180 through 201, 202, 208, and 209 may beinjected/added to stream 15 directly, together, or separately, at anylocation. Gas sources 170 and 171 may be the same or different, asdesired. Alternatively, transport gas(es) may be provided to bothtransport lines 115 and 118 by gas source 170 (connection from source170 to line 118 not shown). Although gas sources 170 and 171 are shownin FIG. 1 as compressors or blowers, any source of transport energyknown in the art may be acceptable, as will be appreciated by those ofskill in the art. Stream 15 may be contaminated (mercury containing)flue gas, or coal stream that is combusted to generate contaminated(mercury containing) flue gas stream.

For clarity, single injection points 116 or 119 are shown in FIG. 1,although one skilled in the art will understand that multiple injectionpoints are within the scope of the present invention. Further, points116 and 119 may be interchangeable, with one or the other preceding theother. Optical density measuring device (s) 204 is connected totransport line 115 and/or 118 to provide signals representative of theoptical density inside transport line 115 and/or 118 as a function oftime.

Downstream from injection point 116 and 119 is provided particulateseparator 140. By way of illustration and not limitation, particulateseparator 140 may include one or more fabric filters, one or moreelectrostatic precipitators (hereinafter “ESP”), one or more scrubbers,or other particulate removal devices as are known in the art. It shouldbe further noted that more than one particulate separator 140 may exist,sequentially or in parallel and that injection point 116 and 119 may beat a location upstream and/or downstream of 140 when parallel,sequential, or combinations thereof exist. Particulate separator 140produces at least a predominantly gaseous (“clean”) stream 142, and astream 141 including separated solid materials. An optional sorbent/ashseparator 150 separates stream 141 into a largely ash stream 152, and alargely sorbent stream 151. Stream 151 may then be passed to an optionalsorbent regenerator 160, which yields a regenerated sorbent stream 161and a waste stream 162.

An optional Continuous Emission Monitor (hereinafter “CEM”) 205 formercury is provided in exhaust gas stream 35, to provide electricalsignals representative of the mercury concentration in exhaust stream 35as a function of time. The optional mercury CEM 205 and flow controllers201, 202, 203, 208, and 209 are electrically connected via optionallines 207 (or wirelessly) to an optional digital computer (orcontroller) 206, which receives and processes signals and controls thepreparation and addition of promoted sorbent into contaminated flue gasstream 15.

In operation, sorbent along with optional alkali (or ammonium salt)component (or precursor) is added (e.g., injected) into contaminatedflue gas stream 15. After contacting the injected material with thecontaminated flue gas stream 15, the injected sorbent, or precursorsthat then form the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent, reduces themercury concentration, transforming contaminated flue gas into reducedmercury flue gas, 25. The injected material is removed from the flue gas25, by separator 140, disposed of or further separated by optionalseparator 150, and disposed of or regenerated by an optional regenerator160, respectively. The reduced mercury “clean” flue gas stream 42 (or35) is then monitored for mercury content by an optional CEM 205, whichprovides corresponding signals to an optional computer/controller 206.Logic and optimization signals from 206 then adjust flow controllers201, 202, 203, 208, 209 to maintain the mercury concentration in exhauststream 35 within desired limits, according to control algorithms wellknown in the art. Flow controllers 201, 202, 203, 208, 209 can also beadjusted manually or be some other automated means to maintain themercury concentration in exhaust stream 35 within desired limits,according to control algorithms well known in the art.

Referring still to FIG. 1, there are illustrated several embodiments forpreparation and addition of sorbent and/or alkali (or ammonium salts)components in accordance with the present invention. Stream 111 providesfor introduction of sorbent (and optionally alkali, or ammonium salt)from reservoir 110, as metered by flow controller 201 manually or underthe direction of computer 206. The halogen/halide may be combined andreact with the sorbent according to any of several provided methods. Thehalogen/halide and/or promoter precursors may be combined via line 121directly into transport line 115, within which it contacts and reactswith the sorbent prior to injection point 116. This option is one formof what is referred to herein as “in-flight” preparation of a promotedsorbent in accordance with the invention. The halogen/halide and/orprecursors may be combined via line 121 directly into stream 15, orupstream of stream 15 (such as in the furnace, or on the coal which iscombusted to form stream 15), within which it contacts and reacts withthe sorbent in stream 15. This option is another form of what isreferred to herein as “in-flight” preparation of a promoted sorbent orpromoted protected sorbent in accordance with the invention. Further,the halogen/halide and/or promoter precursors may be combined via line121 b with sorbent prior to entering transport line 115. Thehalogen/halide and/or promoter may be a liquid, salt solution, solvent,solid, or gas/vapor.

Still further, the halogen/halide and/or promoter precursors may becontacted and react with the sorbent by introduction via line 121 c intoreservoir 110. This option is employed when, for example, reservoir 110includes an ebulliated or fluidized bed of sorbent, through whichhalogen/halide flows in gaseous form or as a vapor. The halogen/halidemay be contacted with the sorbent in liquid form or in a solvent, asdiscussed previously, and solvent removal (not shown in FIG. 1) may thenbe provided if necessary.

Similarly, the optional alkali (or ammonium salt) may be contacted andreact directly in transport line 115 via line 131, or optionally asdescribed above with respect to the halogen/halide, via lines 131 b and131 c, or added in reservoir 110 (in which case 110 and 130 are samereservoir) and added via lines 111 and 115, or injected directly intostream 115 to form the promoted protected sorbent, either in line 115 orstream 15.

Similarly, the optional alkali and/or ammonium salt component (s) from180 may either be added to reservoir 110 (in which case 110 and 180 aresame reservoir) and injected via lines 111 and 115, or injected intransport line 115 directly, or may be injected separately by transportline 118, combining in 115, or in flue gas stream 15 for synergisticeffects with sorbent, promoted sorbent, or optional secondarycomponents. Being able to vary the amount of the optional alkali and/orammonium salt component(s) relative to sorbent, promoted sorbent, oroptional secondary components is a key feature to overcome and optimizefor site-specific operating and flue gas conditions.Proposed Chemical Mechanism.

The present invention is not limited to any particular mechanism ofoperation. Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a proposedchemical mechanism to explain the formation of iodide-promoted activatedcarbon and its reaction with elemental mercury. The promotion mechanismin initiated by hydrogen iodide reacting with the unsaturated edgestructure of the activated carbon, as illustrated in FIG. 3, to form thecarbenium ion which exists as an ion pair with the iodide ion, asillustrated in FIG. 4.

In contrast, molecular iodine does not react to form a similarstructure, but instead can form a weak molecular complex with the basalplanes of the activated carbon but only at low temperatures. At elevatedtemperatures the thermodynamically unstable complex will not persist,and concentrations of complexed iodine on the surface will be extremelylow.”

Molecular orbital theory predicts that carbenium ions that are part ofunsaturated systems typically exhibit a delocalization or dispersal ofthe charge over alternating carbons of the unsaturated structure.Sometimes delocalization results in greater stability and hence lowerreactivity. However, the extent of the delocalization depends on theenvironment, and thus reactivity can be adjusted by factors such as thetype and proximity of anionic constituents of the sorbent. FIG. 4illustrates the inductive effect of the iodide closely proximate to thereacted edge carbon, whereby the iodide negative charge pushes away pielectrons on the edge carbon thereby increasing the net positive chargeon the carbon. This induces a polarization (e.g., greater chargeseparation) on the edge structure. The higher charge on the carbonresults in greater reactivity toward the mercury (e.g., increasedoxidation potential).

FIG. 5 illustrates the product of the reaction of the carbenium-iodideion pair with a secondary component, ammonium sulfate, a volatile Group5 salt. In various embodiments, formation of the iodide compound withsecondary component increases the reactivity of the iodide-carbenium ionpair toward mercury and other pollutants. FIG. 5 illustrates the reasonfor the enhancement of reactivity toward elemental mercury. The ammoniumcations from the ammonium salt are shown having collected on the surfaceadjacent to the active site. The cationic ammonium ions collected on thesurface create an additional inductive effect on the pi electrons on theedge structure, with electrons drawn in the direction of the additionalcations and away from the carbenium carbon. This is shown with shadingon the adjacent carbons of the rings. This induction makes the carbeniumcenter carbon more positive and a better electrophile for attracting theelectron clouds of the mercury atom. The more polarized state has ahigher oxidation potential and is therefore more reactive.

The resulting iodide-carbenium ion pair is uniquely suited to facilitateoxidation of the mercury. FIG. 6 illustrates the approach of the mercuryatom owing to the attractive electrostatic force exerted by the cationiccenter for the diffuse electrons of the mercury atom. Ammonium groupsare omitted from FIG. 6 for simplicity. As the mercury atom approachesthe carbenium, the iodide moves away.

FIG. 7 illustrates a transition state for the bond-forming reaction ofthe mercury with the carbenium group. A covalent bond begins to developbetween the mercury and the carbon utilizing a pair of electrons fromthe mercury. Simultaneously the iodide begins to donate electrons to themercury from the backside, thereby stabilizing the positive chargedeveloping on the mercury and lowering the energy requirement for theoxidation process. Iodide is especially reactive, owing to the highlypolarizable electrons in the outer 5p orbitals of the ion.

The effectiveness of the oxidation can therefore result from thepromotion effect of the halide and the bonding effect exerted on thedeveloping positive charge on the mercury during the oxidation, known inthe chemical art as a specific catalytic effect. The effectiveness ofthe oxidation is enhanced by use of the secondary component, which canenhance the positive charge of the carbenium as well as help tostabilize the transition state as the mercury reacts with the carbeniumgroup.

In the final product illustrated in FIG. 8, covalent bonds have formedbetween the carbon and mercury and mercury and iodine, forming anorganomercury iodide.

Halogens in Mercury Capture.

Methodologies for using halogens for the treatment of flue gas have beenproblematic, owing to their reactivity with other gases and metals,resulting in corrosion and health issues. A “halogen” is defined as amember of the very active elements including Group VIIA (CASnomenclature is used throughout; Group VIIA (CAS) corresponds to GroupVIIB (IUPAC)) of the periodic table. In the molecular elemental form ofthe halogens, including F₂, Cl₂, Br₂, and I₂, the reaction with otherhot flue gas components leave little to react with elemental mercury.The atomic elemental halogen form, which includes the fluorine,chlorine, bromine, and iodine atoms, is about a million times morereactive to mercury but the concentration of the atomic forms istypically extremely low. In a large portion of electric utility coalcombustion facilities, the concentrations are generally not sufficientto oxidize a significant amount of mercury.

The term “halide” as used herein is defined as a compound formed fromthe reaction of a halogen with another element or radical. In general,halide compounds are much less reactive than the molecular halogens,having a low chemical potential. Halides are considered reduced formsthat do not, alone, oxidize other compounds. In the conventional viewtherefore, a halide-salt-treated sorbent will not effectively oxidizeelemental mercury and capture elemental mercury. However, a halide saltthat has been added to the coal or combustion zone as a precursor toform a HI promoter will be very effective at oxidizing elemental mercuryand capture of elemental mercury.

Halogen Promoted Sorbent Characteristics.

The sorbent described here has a very high initial reactivity foroxidizing mercury and therefore can be used in very small amounts toachieve very high capture efficiencies, thus lowering operation costsand lessening waste disposal problems. In addition, further disposalreductions are obtainable by regenerating and reusing the sorbentsproduced using the inventive technology. The time interval required forthe mercury and the promoted sorbents of the present invention tosuccessfully interact in a flue gas duct, with the subsequent collectionof the mercury on the sorbent and ash is very short—less than seconds.Clearly, such collection times require the sorbent to have both highcapacity and high reactivity toward mercury. The promoted sorbent can beutilized in a very finely powdered form to minimize mass transferlimitations. However, again, the reactivity should be very high tocapture all of the mercury encountered by the fine particles.Additionally, use of these enhancement technologies allows capture to beeffective for larger sorbent particles which also allows separation ofthe sorbent from the ash to enable subsequent regeneration as well asash utilization. One feature of this invention is the process to preparea sorbent containing a halide compound formed on the sorbent that ishighly active on initial contact with the mercury contaminated gasstream, which allows for very effective capture of the mercury.

It appears that the inventive sorbents chemically combine hydrogenhalides with the sorbent, such as activated carbon (edge sites). X-rayphotoelectron spectroscopy has established that the addition of bromine,chlorine, HBr, or HCl formed a chemical compound in the sorbent (e.g.,carbon) structure. Thus, the sorbent produced from halogen and sorbentdoes not represent a molecular halogen or hydrogen halide form, butrather a new chemically modified sorbent structure, such as a new carbon(or halocarbon) structure. This phenomenon may not occur with the lessreactive molecular iodine, where an I₂ molecular complex can exist onthe carbon basal plane. But the addition of hydrogen iodide to thesorbent, such as the carbon edge structure, forms a modified cationicsorbent (e.g., carbenium-iodide pair) with a high chemical potential foroxidation of mercury. Thus, an entirely new model is presented for thereactivity of the HI-treated carbon with mercury, similar to the HBr andHCl model. The reactive sorbent can be generated by the addition ofhydrogen iodide, but not molecular iodine. Halogen treatment results inhigher-activity sorbents because the halide anions (especially bromideand iodide) were effective in promoting the oxidation by stabilizing thedeveloping positive charge on the mercury in the transition state foroxidation. Based on this model, several innovative, inexpensive,activity-enhancing features have been developed.

Optional Secondary Component.

The method can include addition of an optional secondary component inthe preparation of the protonated sorbent, which can result in improvedreactivity and capacity for the sorbent, typically exceeding that ofboth the untreated sorbent and the halogenated sorbent. In anotherembodiment, the optional secondary component is selected from the groupconsisting of a halogen, a halide (e.g., hydrogen iodide), an alkalinematerial (e.g., lime), clay (e.g., bentonite), an ammonium salt, anacidic component, iodine, hydrohalides, Group V halides. Group VIhalides, and combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the optionalsecondary component is added at from about 1 to about 15 wt % of thepromoter content, or about 1 to about 30 wt % of the sorbent.

The secondary component can include a second halogen or a compoundderived from a second halogen, such as HI. Thus, in addition to having areactive sorbent present, the second component generates a Lewis basewith greater ability to stabilize the developing positive charge on themercury. Thus, one component could be HCl or HBr and the secondcomponent is a compound including an element with more polarizedelectrons (5p), such as hydrogen iodide. When two or more promotercompounds are used, less expensive HCl or HBr can create large numbersof active sites and HI can displace the more volatile acids formingsites with higher reactivity to mercury and forms eventual products withgreater stability and lower volatility, such organomercury iodides ormercury iodide.

Optional Alkali Component.

The method can include also adding (e.g., co-injecting) an optionalalkaline material with the sorbent, including without limitationalkaline and alkaline earth components, to improve the efficiency ofmercury capture by capturing oxidized mercury and/or capturing gaseouscomponents that might otherwise reduce sorbent capacity. In anotherembodiment, the optional alkaline material may include lime, calciumoxide, sodium carbonate, and the like.

It has been demonstrated that addition of an optional alkali componentwith a promoted sorbent results in improved mercury capture, typicallyexceeding that of both the untreated sorbent and the promoted sorbent.Test data indicate that flue gas contaminants, flue gas constituents(SO₂, NO_(x), HCl, etc), operating temperature, mercury form, andmercury concentration may impact the effectiveness of the alkaliaddition. This suggests the need to be able to adjust and tailor thealkali-to-sorbent ratio (e.g., alkali-to-activated-carbon ratio) onsitein order to overcome and optimize for a given set of site conditions.

The synergy that can be gained when adding (e.g., co-injecting) the twomaterials can be explained as follows. First, testing shows that bindingsites on sorbents such as activated carbon can be consumed by chlorinespecies, sulfur species (i.e., sulfates), and other flue gascontaminants (arsenates, selenates, and the like). The addition ofoptional alkali material will interact and react with thesespecies/contaminants thus minimizing their consumption of sorbentbinding sites such as activated carbon mercury binding sites. Second,testing also shows that standard sorbent such as activated carbon willcontinue to oxidize mercury, even though the binding sites are fullyconsumed. This oxidized mercury can then react with alkali material andsubsequently be captured by particulate control devices. Consequently,the addition of the optional alkali component acts to protect mercurybinding sites and capture oxidized mercury, thereby resulting inimproved mercury reduction at lower cost. Alkali is generally much lowerin cost (e.g., an order of magnitude less) than sorbents such asactivated carbon, thus more of it can be used still resulting in overalllower costs.

The alkali material can be lime. The alkali material can be an ammoniumsalt, such as any suitable ammonium salt described herein.

“In-Flight” Sorbent Preparation.

Halogen-promoted and optionally ammonium-protected sorbent can bereadily produced “in-flight”. This can be accomplished by, for example,contacting the vapors of any combination of halogens and optionally asecond component, in-flight, with fine sorbent particles. The contactingcan occur downstream of the combustion chamber such as in the flue gas,or in a transport line (e.g., pneumatic transport line). The particlesmay be dispersed in a stream of transport air (or other gas), which alsoconveys the halogen/halide promoted sorbent particles to the flue gasduct, or other contaminated gas stream, from which mercury is to then beremoved. There is no particular temperature requirement for thiscontact. This technology is very simple to implement, and results in agreat cost savings to facilities using this technology for mercurycapture.

Advantages of On-Site Preparation.

In-flight preparation of the halogen/halide promoted sorbent on locationcan provide certain advantages. For example, treatment/promotion of thesorbent can be adjusted in real time. This allows for different sorbentto promoter (or promoter precursor) ratios, which can be adjusted tomeet different coal and flue gas conditions. Additionally, and oneoption, the treatment system can be combined with the sorbent injectionsystem at the end-use site. With this technique, the halogen/halide isintroduced to the sorbent-air (or other gas) mixture in a transport line(or other part of the sorbent storage and injection system). Or, thepromoter (or precursor) and sorbent (carbon and/or non-carbon) can beinjected (added) separately at different locations, with the promotedsorbent prepared in-flight in the flue gas. This inflight onsitepreparation provides benefits over current conventional concepts fortreating sorbents off-site such as a decrease or elimination of capitalequipment costs at a treatment facility, costs to operate the treatmentfacility are decreased or eliminated, there are no costs fortransporting sorbent and additive to a treatment facility, use ofexisting hardware and operation procedures, the sorbent used is freshand therefore has greater reactivity, no new handling concerns areintroduced, no costs for removing sorbent from treatment system,reduction of the amount of spent sorbents that are disposed, and rapidon-site tailoring of additive-sorbent ratios in order to match therequirements of flue gas changes, such as may be needed when changingfuels or reducing loads, thus further optimizing the economics.

Sorbent Addition Location.

Some embodiments contemplate the use of a halogen promoted sorbent in apowdered form that has been added into a flue gas stream before or afterash particulates have been removed. Other embodiments of the inventivecomposition of the halogen promoted sorbent include a powdered modifiedsorbent prepared by adding HI, Br₂, or HBr, plus a second optionalcomponent. Other embodiments allow the addition of the optional alkaliand/or ammonium component in conjunction with a base sorbent and/or withthe use of a halogen-promoted sorbent and any other combinations of thesorbent technologies provided herein. Alternatively, embodiments includemethods wherein the sorbent is on a moving contactor consisting ofparticles or fibers containing one or more of the compositions listedabove.

Sorbent Regeneration.

Any of the above embodiments of the halogen/halide promoted sorbent canbe easily regenerated; the poisoning contaminants from the flue gas canbe removed and an inexpensive promoting agent added, to restore mercurysorption activity. This process of promoting the activity of the sorbentitself contrasts with the earlier, more expensive, conventional methodsof adding a reagent (such as peroxide, gold, triiodide, etc.) to asorbent. The halogen/halide promoted sorbent of the present invention,treated with bromine and/or optional components, is noncorrosive.Detailed examples of sorbent regeneration techniques are described incommonly owned PCT patent application no. PCT/US04/12828, titled“PROCESS FOR REGENERATING A SPENT SORBENT”, which is hereby incorporatedby reference in its entirety.

Sorbent Addition Control Schemes

Another advantage of the present invention relates to the use of afeedback system to more efficiently utilize certain aspects of theinvention. Where possible and desirable, the mercury control technologyof the present invention may utilize continuous measurement of mercuryemissions as feedback to assist in control of the sorbent addition rate.Tighter control on the promoter, sorbents and optional component(s)levels can be achieved in this way, which will ensure mercury removalrequirements are met with minimal material requirements, thus minimizingthe associated costs. In an embodiment, the mercury emissions arecontinuously measured downstream of the addition location, such as inthe exhaust gas at the stack.

EXAMPLES

Various embodiments of the present invention can be better understood byreference to the following Examples which are offered by way ofillustration. The present invention is not limited to the Examples givenherein.

Part I. Bench-Scale Testing of Halide-Promoted Sorbents Example I-1.Preparation and Bench-Scale Testing of Hydrogen Iodide-Promoted Sorbent

A sample (5 g) of finely powdered activated carbon (such as NORIT DarcoFGD. NORIT Americas. Inc., Marshall, Tex. (USA), although others aresuitable, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art), was placedin a beaker and 20 mL of a 0.1 N aqueous solution of hydrogen iodide(HI) was added and stirred with the carbon. The resulting paste wasdried in an oven in air at 110° C. The residual moisture was notdetermined, but was estimated to be similar to that in the startingcarbon. Thus, the HI loading was approximately 5 wt %.

A bench-scale apparatus and procedure was used to test the initialactivities and capacities of promoted activated carbon sorbents in apowdered form. A detailed description of the apparatus and its operationis provided in Dunham, G. E.; Miller, S. J. Chang, R.; Bergman, P.Environmental Progress 1998, 17, 203, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety. The bench scale mercury sorbent tests in theflue gas compositions were performed with finely (˜400 mesh) powderedsorbents (37 mg) mixed with 113 mg sand and loaded on a quartz filter(2.5 inch (6.35 cm)). The loaded filter and holder were heated in anoven (125° C.) in the simulated flue gas stream (30 SCFH (standard cubicfeet/hr) or 0.79 NCMH (normal cubic meters per hour)) containing thefollowing: O₂ (6%), CO₂ (12%). SO₂ (600 ppm), NO (120 ppm) NO₂ (6 ppm),HCl (1 ppm), Hg⁰ (11 μg/m³), H₂O (15%), and N₂ (balance). Elementalmercury was provided by a standard permeation tube source placed in adouble jacketed glass condenser, and heated to the desired temperature.Mercury concentrations in the gas streams were determined with acontinuous mercury emission monitor (Sir Galahad mercury CEM mfr. P. S.Analytical Deerfield Beach Fla. USA), and a SnCl₂ cell was used toconvert oxidized species to elemental, so that both elemental andoxidized mercury concentration data could be obtained for both theinfluent and the effluent concentrations from the sorbent bed. Mercuryconcentrations were calibrated for the flow rates used. Spent sorbentswere analyzed for mercury to determine the mass balance.

Referring to FIG. 9, the effluent mercury concentration data are plottedas a percent of the influent mercury versus time. Total Hg (solidcircles) and elemental Hg (solid squares) in the effluent are presentedas a percent of the inlet Hg. “EOT” indicates the end of test (the laterdata points shown are for calibration checks).

The resulting curve for the total Hg (breakthrough curve) showed 0-1% Hgin the effluent as a percentage of the inlet Hg, corresponding to 99+%capture). After 1.0 hr the Hg in the effluent began to increase (initialbreakthrough point). Only after 2.0 hr had the capture dropped to the50% level (50% breakthrough). At 2.5 hr. the 100% level was reached,signaling complete breakthrough. At longer times, total Hg in theeffluent was higher than the inlet, as typical for sorbent Hg capture.

After complete breakthrough of the total Hg, the elemental Hg in theeffluent was determined. This was about 1-2% of the influent Hg,indicating that most of the Hg was being oxidized on the sorbent, eventhough it was not captured.

Example I-2. Preparation and Bench-Scale Testing of Bromine-PromotedSorbent and Non-Promoted Sorbent

Finely powdered activated carbon (such as NORIT Darco FGD, NORITAmericas, Inc., Marshall, Tex. (USA), although others are suitable, aswill be recognized by those skilled in the art), was placed in arotating plastic barrel with side blades (a 5 ft³ (0.14 m³) cementmixer) fitted with a tight plastic lid to prevent loss of the finepowder during the preparation. In a separate vessel, gas phase brominewas generated by passing a nitrogen stream over a weighed amount ofliquid bromine that is warmed to about 40°-50° C. The vapor pressure ofthe bromine was such that a dark red gas is generated and passed out ofthe generator. The outlet from the gaseous bromine generator isconnected via a ¼ inch (0.0.64 cm) plastic hose to a stationary metaltube inserted through a flange in the center of the plastic lid andpassing into the center of the barrel. The flange was not air tight sothat the excess of nitrogen is released after the bromine is transferredto the tumbling carbon. Thus, the bromine gas stream continuously passedinto the rotating barrel where it contacted the tumbling carbon. Theunit was then operated until the desired amount of bromine had combinedwith the carbon, about 0.4 to 1 kg of bromine to 20 kg of carbon (2-5 wt%). When the reaction was completed, the carbon was weighed. The treatedcarbon was odorless and did not cause skin irritation since the brominehad completely reacted with the carbon to produce the brominated carbon.

XPS spectra demonstrate that the brominated carbon contained bothcovalent carbon-bound (organic) bromide as well as anionic bromide. Theproduct contained the same moisture originally present in the activatedcarbon (5-17 wt %), but did not require further drying for use. Themoisture is driven out at higher temperatures (>150° C.), and thebromine was not released until very high temperatures.

The bench-scale apparatus and procedure of Example I-1 was used to testthe initial activities and capacities of several promoted activatedcarbon sorbents using powdered carbon, including bromine-containingactivated carbons prepared from a variety of carbons, includingcommercially available sorbents, aerogel film sorbents, and the originalprecursor carbons for comparison.

Referring to FIG. 10 the effluent mercury concentration data are plottedas a percent of the influent mercury versus time. The resulting curve(breakthrough curve) for the brominated sorbents typically showed 0%-1%Hg in the effluent (99+% capture) at the beginning, and increasing onlyafter 30-60 minutes (breakthrough point). FIG. 10 illustrates thebreakthrough curves for 5 wt/wt % brominated NORIT Darco FGD sorbent (37mg+113 mg sand) with synthetic flue gas containing 1 ppm HCl. Total Hg(solid circles) and elemental Hg (solid squares) in the effluent arepresented as a percent of the inlet Hg. “EOT” indicates the end of test(the later data points shown are for calibration checks). Breakthroughoccurred at 42 minutes with 50% breakthrough at 2 hours. The elementalHg after breakthrough was about 20% of the inlet, compared to 98% in thecase of the HI-promoted carbon.

FIG. 11 presents the comparative breakthrough curves for thecorresponding non-halogenated sorbent typically initiated at 5%-50% ofinlet mercury, depending on the HCl concentration in the synthetic fluegas, thus indicating considerably lower reactivity for oxidation andcapture of the mercury for the nonhalogenated sorbents.

Example I-3. Analysis of Examples I-1 and I-2

Comparison of the breakthrough curves for the HI-promoted carbon inExample I-1 showed a very high initial capture rate, comparable to thebrominated carbon in Example I-2. The relatively late onset of thebreakthrough of the HI promoted carbon compared to the brominated carbonshowed that the capture rates of the HI-promoted carbon exceed those ofthe brominated carbon when many of the sites for binding have been usedup.

The reason for the superior capacity performance of the HI-promotedcarbon might not simply be attributed to higher reaction rates of theHI-promoted carbon or higher stability of the carbon-bound HgI. Ingeneral, the shape of the breakthrough curve and the onset ofbreakthrough are determined by the SO₂ oxidation to sulfuric acid, themain poisoning species for the Hg-binding sites. Previous work showedthat the halogen-promoted carbons oxidize SO₂ at similar rates;therefore, sulfuric acid will build up on the carbon surface and poisonthe sites to similar extents. In contrast, halogen-promoted carbonsexhibit a specific acid catalysis rate effect, with the affinity of thehalide anion for the incipient positive charge developing on the mercuryin the transition state for oxidation and simultaneous formation of thebound state affecting the rates of Hg oxidation to a significant degree.Iodide ions are more nucleophilic, owing to the more polarizableelectrons in the anion, resulting from the large size and shielding ofthe outer electrons. The reaction rate is therefore faster for carboniumsites associated with iodide in the HI-promoted carbons, as compared tocarbonium sites associated with bromide in the Br₂-promoted carbons. Ifsulfuric acid build-up is similar for the carbons, the effect of theiodide anion can be observed. A second rate factor favoring theHI-promoted sites over Br₂-promoted sites is the lower degree ofhydration of the iodide ion and the carbenium ion with which it isassociated, compared to the more dense bromide carbenium ion pairs(chloride would be similar to bromide), which are more strongly hydratedand more stabilized. The less hydrated carbenium iodide ion pair will beless stabilized and therefore more reactive.

Examining the breakthrough data further, the lower amount of elementalHg in the effluent after breakthrough of the HI-promoted carbon providesfurther evidence that the HI-promoted site must be more effective foroxidation compared to the corresponding brominated site. Afterbreakthrough, the sulfuric acid present prevents binding but does notaffect the oxidation; therefore, the effect of the iodide anion on theoxidation can be observed. The species of oxidized mercury in theeffluent was not determined for the HI-promoted sorbent, but is likelythe most volatile Hg species, which is HgCl₂, formed from the lowconcentration of HCl in the flue gas.

The ion hydration effect described above may also be important in use ofthe sorbent in aqueous environments such as a wet scrubber. Watermolecules will inhibit or interfere more when the anion is bromide orchloride compared to iodide, and hence use of the HI-promoted sorbent inscrubbers is effective in achieving higher removal rates.

Part II. Large Scale Test of HI-Promoted Sorbent Example II-1

Tests were conducted on a full-scale nominal 800 Mw plant equipped withan ESP for particulate control and a wet scrubber for SO₂ compliance.During the test, a low-sulfur subbituminous coal was combusted toproduce a mercury-containing flue gas. Without the injection/addition ofany sorbents, promotors, or promoter precursors, the coal when combustedproduced a flue gas with mercury concentration of 8-12 lb/TBtu and ahigh proportion of elemental mercury, generally greater than 50%. Alltests were conducted at full load. The goal of the tests was todemonstrate mercury emissions at the stack below 1.2 lb/TBtu.

During the test, halide promoters (bromine-based (NaBr) and iodine-based(KI) precursors) were injected (added) separately into the combustionzone in the furnace along with injection into the flue gas of a sorbent(Sorbent 1) that included activated carbon and hydrated lime. Sorbent 1and the additional components were injected upstream of the air heatersinto the flue gas. Sorbent 1 included activated carbon and hydratedlime, and had a higher wt % of activated carbon than of hydrated lime.The activated carbon component had a mass average particle size ofapproximately 14-18 microns, and the lime component had a mean particlesize of approximately 5-10 microns. The promoter precursors wereinjected in the range of 0.0-0.5 lb/Macf (million actual cubic feet) andthe sorbents were injected in the range of 0-3 lb/Macf. A brominatedactivated carbon (BAC) provided by a commercial supplier with carboncharacteristics similar to Sorbent 1 was also injected during the testand was injected upstream of the air heaters at the same location asSorbent 1. Sorbent 1 was tested in conjunction with bromine promoters(e.g., HBr. Br₂, and the like, derived from the bromine precursor (NaBr)under the conditions tested) and iodine promoters (e.g., HI, I₂, and thelike, derived from the iodine precursor (KI) under the conditionstested) and the BAC was tested alone for comparative results, as shownin Table 1. The bromine precursor NaBr was mixed with bentonite to forma mixture having a greater wt % of NaBr than of bentonite, and themixture was injected (added) into the combustion zone with the coal. Theiodine precursor was mixed with a bentonite at approximate ratios of20-40 wt % of KI and 60-80 wt % bentonite. It was also injected (added)into the combustion zone. The SEA rate shown in Table 1 includes boththe halide precursor and bentonite as a mixture. While in these teststhe bromine and iodine precursors were mixed with bentonite tofacilitate feed, similar results would be expected if the bromine andiodine precursors are added individually, or with some other material,as a liquid, solid, or gas to the coal or combustion zone.

TABLE 1 Tests with Bromine and Iodine Promoters. Sorbent SEA ESP outletHg ESP Hg Stack Hg Stack Hg inj. rate inj. rate NaBr* KI* concentrationaverage concentration average Test condition lb/hr lb/hr lb/hr lb/hrμg/dscm lb/TBtu lb/TBtu μg/dscm lb/TBtu lb/TBtu BAC Only 340 0 0 0 2.481.90 2.06 1.68 1.50 1.73 BAC Only 320 0 0 0 3.00 2.30 2.05 1.83 BAC Only380 0 0 0 2.86 2.19 2.30 2.05 BAC Only 450 0 0 0 2.77 2.12 2.12 1.89 BACOnly 600 0 0 0 2.41 1.78 1.60 1.40 Bromine-Sorbent 1 300 50 35 0 1.050.81 1.22 0.67 0.57 0.95 Bromine-Sorbent 1 250 50 35 0 1.76 1.35 1.251.03 Bromine-Sorbent 1 300 50 35 0 1.94 1.50 1.50 1.24 Iodine-Sorbent 1300 40 0 8 2.60 2.00 1.88 1.30 1.16 1.05 Iodine-Sorbent 1 250 80 0 162.30 1.77 1.13 0.94 Iodine-Sorbent 1 250 150 0 30 2.42 1.86 1.23 1.04*Promoter precursor.

The data in Table 1 shows that bromine- and iodine-promoted sorbentsperformed better than BAC alone, resulting in lower mercury emissions atthe ESP outlet and stack, while using less carbon compared to BAC alone.The data convincingly suggests that promotion of the activated carboncontained in Sorbent 1 by either iodine- or bromine-based promotersresulted in effective mercury capture in the ESP of over 80%, andmercury stack emissions below 1.2 lb/TBtu. The comparative tests withBAC alone demonstrated that mercury emissions were generally between1.5-2.0 lb/TBtu, at higher injection rates of 300-400 lb/hr. Follow-ontests showed that even at BAC injection rates of 500-600 lb/hr, mercuryemissions were still above 1.2 lb/TBtu.

The data in Table 1 indicates that synergy occurs when a carbon-basedsorbent (Sorbent 1) is injected into flue gas and bromine- andiodine-based promotors are provided in the flue gas by promoterprecursors added/injected to the combustion zone (either as mixed withthe coal, or added directly). This approach yields significantlyimproved mercury capture compared to standard activated carbons andBACs, resulting in improved mercury capture at reduced costs.

The terms and expressions that have been employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the useof such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of thefeatures shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognizedthat various modifications are possible within the scope of theembodiments of the present invention. Thus, it should be understood thatalthough the present invention has been specifically disclosed byspecific embodiments and optional features, modification and variationof the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those of ordinaryskill in the art, and that such modifications and variations areconsidered to be within the scope of embodiments of the presentinvention.

Exemplary Embodiments

The following exemplary embodiments are provided, the numbering of whichis not to be construed as designating levels of importance:

Embodiment 1 provides a method of separating mercury from amercury-containing gas, the method comprising:

combusting a fossil fuel in a combustion chamber, to provide themercury-containing gas, wherein the mercury-containing gas comprises ahalogen or halide promoter, wherein the halogen or halide promotercomprises iodine, iodide, or a combination thereof;

adding a sorbent material into the mercury-containing gas downstream ofthe combustion chamber such that the sorbent material reacts with thehalogen or halide promoter in the mercury-containing gas to form apromoted sorbent;

reacting mercury in the mercury-containing gas with the promotedsorbent, to form a mercury/sorbent composition; and

separating the mercury/sorbent composition from the mercury-containinggas.

Embodiment 2 provides the method of Embodiment 1, wherein the combustionchamber comprises the halogen or halide promoter.

Embodiment 3 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-2, whereinthe halogen or halide promoter is a molecular halogen, a halide, a GroupV halide, a Group VI halide, a hydrohalide, a halide salt, or acombination thereof.

Embodiment 4 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-3, whereinthe halogen or halide promoter comprises I₂, HI, a Group V iodide, aGroup VI iodide, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 5 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-4, whereinthe halogen or halide promoter comprises Br₂, HBr, a Group V bromide, aGroup VI bromide, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 6 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-5, whereinthe promoter is HCl, HBr, HI, Br₂, Cl₂, I₂, BrCl, IBr, ICl, ClF, PBr₃,PCl₅, SCl₂, CuCl₂, CuBr₂, Al₂Br₆. FeI_(x) (x=1, 2, 3, or 4). FeBr_(y)(y=1, 2, 3, or 4), FeCl_(z) (z=1, 2, 3, or 4), MnBr₂, MnCl₂, NiBr₂,NiCl₂, NiI₂, ZnBr₂, ZnCl₂. ZnI₂, NH₄Br, NH₄Cl, NH₄I, NH₄F, or acombination thereof.

Embodiment 7 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-6, whereinthe promoter is reacted with the sorbent in vapor form, gaseous form,liquid form, or in an organic solvent.

Embodiment 8 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-7, furthercomprising adding another halogen or halide promoter downstream of thecombustion chamber.

Embodiment 9 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-8, whereinthe promoted sorbent comprises about 1 g to about 30 g of the halogen orhalide promoter per 100 g of the sorbent material.

Embodiment 10 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-9, furthercomprising adding a secondary material into the mercury-containing gasdownstream of the combustion chamber.

Embodiment 11 provides the method of Embodiment 10, wherein thesecondary material comprises a halogen, a compound derived from ahalogen, a hydrohalide, a compound comprising a Group V or Group VIelement and a molecular halogen, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 12 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-11,wherein the sorbent material added into the mercury-containing gascomprises at least one of a carbon sorbent material and a non-carbonsorbent material.

Embodiment 13 provides the method of Embodiment 12, wherein the carbonsorbent material comprises at least one of activated carbon, activatedcarbon, carbon black, unburned carbon, carbon fiber, carbon honeycomb orplate structure, aerogel carbon film, pyrolysis char, and regeneratedactivated carbon.

Embodiment 14 provides the method of Embodiment 13, wherein theactivated carbon comprises powdered activated carbon, granular activatedcarbon, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 15 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 12-14,wherein the non-carbon sorbent material comprises at least one of aporous felsic material, a vesicular felsic material, a porous basalticmaterial, a vesicular basaltic material, a clay-based compound, analkaline compound, a calcium hydroxide compound, a sodium acetatecompound, and a bicarbonate compound.

Embodiment 16 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-15,wherein the sorbent material added into the mercury-containing gas issubstantially free of halogen and halide promotion.

Embodiment 17 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-16,wherein the sorbent material is a promoted sorbent obtained by reactionof a base sorbent with another halogen or halide promoter.

Embodiment 18 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-17,wherein the combustion chamber comprises a boiler.

Embodiment 19 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-18,wherein the mercury-containing gas is a flue gas.

Embodiment 20 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-19,wherein the fossil fuel comprises coal.

Embodiment 21 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-20,wherein the addition of the sorbent material into the mercury-containinggas occurs upstream of an air pre-heater.

Embodiment 22 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-21,wherein the addition of the sorbent material into the mercury-containinggas occurs upstream of a particulate separator or a scrubber.

Embodiment 23 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-22,wherein the promoter is formed from a promoter precursor.

Embodiment 24 provides the method of Embodiment 23, wherein the promoterprecursor is NaBr, NaCl, NaI, Br⁻, Cl⁻, I⁻, KI, KCl, LiCl, LiBr, CuCl₂,CuBr₂, AgCl, AgBr, CHI₃, CaI₂, CH₃Br, AuBr, FeI_(x) (x=1, 2, 3, or 4),FeBr_(y) (y=1, 2, 3, or 4), FeCl_(z) (z=1, 2, 3, or 4), MgBr₂, MgCl₂,MnBr₂, MnCl₂, NiBr₂, NiCl₂, NiI₂, ZnBr₂, ZnCl₂, ZnI₂, CaI₂, CaBr₂,CaCl₂, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 25 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 1-24,further comprising adding an ammonium salt into the flue gas to producea promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent.

Embodiment 26 provides the method of Embodiment 25, wherein the ammoniumsalt is an ammonium halide, a methylammonium halide, an ammonium salt ofan oxyacid of a Group VI element, an ammonium salt of an oxyacid of aGroup V element, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 27 The method of any one of Embodiments 25-26, wherein theammonium salt is ammonium bromide, ammonium iodide, ammonium chloride,an organic halide with a formula of CH₃NH₃X (wherein X is Cl, Br or I),ammonium sulfate, ammonium hydrogen sulfate, ammonium sulfite, ammoniumhydrogen sulfite, ammonium persulfate, ammonium pyrosulfate, ammoniumthiosulphate, ammonium dithionite, ammonium aluminium sulfate, ammoniumiron sulfate, ammonium sulfamate, ammonium phosphate, diammoniumphosphate, ammonium hydrogen phosphate, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate,ammonium thiophosate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrite, ammoniumcarbonate, ammonium thiocyanate, ammonium sulfide, ammonium hydrogensulfide, ammonium acetate, ammonium carbamate, ammonium carbonate,ammonium chlorate, ammonium chromate, ammonium fluoride, ammoniumformate, ammonium hydroxide, ammonium perchlorate, or a combinationthereof.

Embodiment 28 provides a method of separating mercury from amercury-containing gas, the method comprising:

combusting a fossil fuel in a combustion chamber, to provide themercury-containing gas, wherein the mercury-containing gas comprises thefirst halogen or halide promoter;

adding a sorbent material into the mercury-containing gas downstream ofthe combustion chamber such that the sorbent material reacts with thefirst halogen or halide promoter in the mercury-containing gas to form apromoted sorbent, wherein the sorbent material is a promoted sorbentobtained by reaction of a base sorbent with a second halogen or halidepromoter, wherein (a) the first halogen or halide promoter comprisesiodine, iodide, or a combination thereof, (b), the second halogen orhalide promoter comprises iodine, iodide, or a combination thereof, or(c) both (a) and (b);

reacting mercury in the mercury-containing gas with the promotedsorbent, to form a mercury/sorbent composition; and

separating the mercury/sorbent composition from the mercury-containinggas.

Embodiment 29 provides the method of Embodiment 28, wherein thecombustion chamber comprises the first halogen or halide promoter.

Embodiment 30 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 28-29,wherein the first or second halogen or halide promoter is a molecularhalogen, a Group V halide, a Group VI halide, a hydrohalide, a halidesalt, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 31 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 28-30,wherein the first or second halogen or halide promoter comprises I₂, HI,a Group V iodide, a Group VI iodide, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 32 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 28-31,wherein the first or second halogen or halide promoter comprises Br₂.HBr, a Group V bromide, a Group VI bromide, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 33 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 28-32,wherein the first or second halogen or halide promoter comprises HCl,HBr, HI, Br₂, Cl₂, I₂. BrCl, IBr, ICl, ClF, PBr₃, PCl₅. SCl₂, CuCl₂,CuBr₂, Al₂Br₆, FeI_(x) (x=1, 2, 3, or 4), FeBr_(y) (y=1, 2, 3, or 4).FeCl_(z) (z=1, 2, 3, or 4), MnBr₂, MnCl₂, NiBr₂, NiCl₂, NiI₂, ZnBr₂,ZnCl₂, ZnI₂, NH₄Br, NH₄Cl, NH₄I, NH₄F, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 34 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 28-33,wherein the first or second promoter is formed from a promoterprecursor.

Embodiment 35 provides the method of Embodiment 34, wherein the promoterprecursor is NaBr, NaCl, NaI, Br⁻, Cl⁻, I⁻, KI, KCl, LiCl, LiBr, CuCl₂,CuBr₂, AgCl, AgBr, CHI₃, CaI₂, CH₃Br, AuBr, FeI_(x) (x=1, 2, 3, or 4).FeBr_(y) (y=1, 2, 3, or 4), FeCl_(z) (z=1, 2, 3, or 4), MgBr₂, MgCl₂,MnBr₂, MnCl₂, NiBr₂, NiCl₂, NiI₂, ZnBr₂, ZnCl₂, ZnI₂, CaI₂. CaBr₂,CaCl₂, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 36 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 28-35,wherein the first or second promoter is reacted with the sorbent invapor form, gaseous form, liquid form, or in an organic solvent.

Embodiment 37 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 28-36,further comprising adding the second promoter downstream of thecombustion chamber.

Embodiment 38 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 28-37,wherein the sorbent material added into the mercury-containing gascomprises at least one of a carbon sorbent material and a non-carbonsorbent material.

Embodiment 39 provides the method of Embodiment 38, wherein the carbonsorbent material comprises at least one of activated carbon, activatedcarbon, carbon black, unburned carbon, carbon fiber, carbon honeycomb orplate structure, aerogel carbon film, pyrolysis char, and regeneratedactivated carbon.

Embodiment 40 provides the method of Embodiment 39, wherein theactivated carbon comprises powdered activated carbon, granular activatedcarbon, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 41 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 38-40,wherein the non-carbon sorbent material comprises at least one of aporous felsic material, a vesicular felsic material, a porous basalticmaterial a vesicular basaltic material, a clay-based compound, analkaline compound, a calcium hydroxide compound, a sodium acetatecompound, and a bicarbonate compound.

Embodiment 42 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 28-41,wherein the combustion chamber comprises a boiler.

Embodiment 43 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 28-42,wherein the fossil fuel comprises coal.

Embodiment 44 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 28-43,wherein the addition of the sorbent material into the mercury-containinggas occurs upstream of an air pre-heater, a particulate separator, orscrubber.

Embodiment 45 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 28-44,further comprising adding an ammonium salt into the flue gas to producea promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent.

Embodiment 46 provides the method of Embodiment 45, wherein the ammoniumsalt is an ammonium halide, a methylammonium halide, an ammonium salt ofan oxyacid of a Group VI element, an ammonium salt of an oxyacid of aGroup V element, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 47 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 45-46,wherein the ammonium salt is ammonium bromide, ammonium iodide, ammoniumchloride, an organic halide with a formula of CH₃NH₃X (wherein X is Cl,Br or I), ammonium sulfate, ammonium hydrogen sulfate, ammonium sulfite,ammonium hydrogen sulfite, ammonium persulfate, ammonium pyrosulfate,ammonium thiosulphate, ammonium dithionite, ammonium aluminium sulfate,ammonium iron sulfate, ammonium sulfamate, ammonium phosphate,diammonium phosphate, ammonium hydrogen phosphate, ammonium dihydrogenphosphate, ammonium thiophosate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrite,ammonium carbonate, ammonium thiocyanate, ammonium sulfide, ammoniumhydrogen sulfide, ammonium acetate, ammonium carbamate, ammoniumcarbonate, ammonium chlorate, ammonium chromate, ammonium fluoride,ammonium formate, ammonium hydroxide, ammonium perchlorate, or acombination thereof.

Embodiment 48 provides a method for separating mercury from amercury-containing gas, the method comprising:

reacting mercury in a mercury-containing gas with a promoted carbonsorbent that is iodine-promoted, iodide-promoted, or a combinationthereof, to form a mercury/sorbent composition; and

separating the mercury/sorbent composition from the mercury-containinggas.

Embodiment 49 provides the method of Embodiment 48, wherein reacting themercury in the mercury-containing gas with the promoted halogenatedcarbon sorbent to form the mercury/sorbent composition comprisesreacting the mercury in the mercury-containing gas with the promotedhalogenated carbon sorbent and with a promoted halogenated non-carbonsorbent to form the mercury/sorbent composition.

Embodiment 50 provides a method for separating mercury from a mercurycontaining gas comprising:

(a) providing a sorbent material;

(b) providing a halogen or halide promoter, wherein the halogen orhalide promoter comprises iodine, iodide, or a combination thereof;

(c) promoting at least a portion of the sorbent material by chemicallyreacting the sorbent material with the halogen or halide promoter toform a promoted halogenated sorbent;

(d) chemically reacting elemental mercury in the mercury containing gaswith the promoted halogenated sorbent to form a mercury/sorbent chemicalcomposition; and

(e) separating particulates from the mercury containing gas to form acleaned gas, the particulates including ash and the firstmercury/sorbent chemical composition.

Embodiment 51 provides the method of Embodiment 50, further comprisingthe step of adding the sorbent material and the halogen or halidepromoter into the mercury containing gas.

Embodiment 52 provides the method of Embodiment 51, wherein said halogenor halide promoter and the sorbent material are added into the mercurycontaining gas at the same location.

Embodiment 53 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 51-52,wherein said halogen or halide promoter and the sorbent material areadded into the mercury containing gas at separate locations.

Embodiment 54 provides the method of Embodiment 53, wherein said halogenor halide promoter is added into the mercury-containing gas upstream ofthe addition of said sorbent.

Embodiment 55 provides the method of Embodiment 54, wherein said halogenor halide promoter is added into a combustion chamber that produces amercury-containing gas, and the sorbent is added downstream of thecombustion chamber.

Embodiment 56 provides the method of Embodiment 55, wherein said halogenor halide promoter is additionally added downstream of the combustionchamber.

Embodiment 57 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 55-56,wherein said combustion chamber is a boiler and the mercury-containinggas is a flue gas.

Embodiment 58 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 52-57,wherein said halogen or halide promoter and sorbent are added downstreamof a chamber that produces a mercury-containing gas.

Embodiment 59 provides the method of Embodiment 58, wherein said chamberis a boiler and the mercury-containing gas is a flue gas.

Embodiment 60 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 51-59,wherein the rate at which said sorbent is added or the rate at whichsaid promoter is added or combination thereof is adjusted according to amonitored mercury content in the cleaned gas so that the mercury contentof the cleaned gas is maintained at substantially a desired level.

Embodiment 61 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-60,wherein said sorbent comprises carbon based materials.

Embodiment 62 provides the method of Embodiment 61, wherein said sorbentcomprises activated carbon.

Embodiment 63 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-62,wherein said sorbent is selected from the group consisting ofnoncarbon-based materials, including porous felsic materials, vesicularfelsic materials, porous basaltic materials, vesicular basalticmaterials, clay-based compounds, alkaline compounds, calcium hydroxidecompounds, sodium acetate compounds, bicarbonate compounds, orcombinations thereof.

Embodiment 64 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 62-63,wherein said sorbent is an activated carbon base material that reactswith oxidized mercury in the mercury-containing gas to form a secondmercury/sorbent chemical composition.

Embodiment 65 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 63-64,wherein said sorbent is a non-carbon base material that reacts withoxidized mercury in the mercury-containing gas to form a secondmercury/sorbent chemical composition.

Embodiment 66 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-65,wherein said sorbent is a non-carbon material that comprises Lewis basicgroups.

Embodiment 67 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-66,wherein said sorbent is a carbon material that comprises Lewis acidgroups.

Embodiment 68 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-67,wherein said sorbent includes both a carbon material and a non-carbonmaterial.

Embodiment 69 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 63-68,wherein said non-carbon material comprises amorphous forms oftectosilicates comprising nanoscale cavities lined with Lewis basicoxygen associated with alkaline earth metals.

Embodiment 70 provides the method of Embodiment 69, wherein saidalkaline-earth metals comprise Group I and Group II alkaline-earthmetals.

Embodiment 71 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 62-70,wherein said non-carbon material comprises amorphous forms ofphyllosilicates comprising nanoscale cavities lined with Lewis basicoxygen.

Embodiment 72 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-71,wherein said promoted sorbent comprises metastable complexes formedbetween said promoter and inorganic species on a non-carbon sorbent.

Embodiment 73 provides the method of Embodiment 72, wherein saidinorganic species is selected from the group consisting of sodiumcompounds, calcium compounds, magnesium compounds, aluminum compounds,iron compounds, and combinations thereof.

Embodiment 74 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-73,wherein said promoted sorbent comprises metastable complexes formedbetween said promoter and metal-oxygen-metal structures on a non-carbonsorbent.

Embodiment 75 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-74,wherein the promoter is wherein the promoter is HCl, HBr, HI, Br₂, Cl₂,I₂, BrCl, IBr, ICl, ClF, PBr₃, PCl₅, SCl₂, CuCl₂, CuBr₂, Al₂Br₆, FeI_(x)(x=1, 2, 3, or 4), FeBr_(y) (y=1, 2, 3, or 4), FeCl_(z) (z=1, 2, 3, or4), MnBr₂, MnCl₂, NiBr₂, NiCl₂, NiI₂. ZnBr₂, ZnCl₂, ZnI₂, NH₄Br, NH₄Cl,NH₄I, NH₄F, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 76 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 74-75,wherein said promoter after being complexed with the metal-oxygen-metalstructures is in the form selected from the group consisting of adihalogen group, a halogen atom, a hydrohalogen group, a Group V halide,a Group VI halide, and combinations thereof.

Embodiment 77 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-76,wherein the promoter is formed from a promoter precursor.

Embodiment 78 provides the method of Embodiment 77, wherein the promoterprecursor is NaBr, NaCl, NaI, Br⁻, Cl⁻, I⁻, KI, KCl, LiCl, LiBr, CuCl₂,CuBr₂, AgCl, AgBr, CHI₃. CaI₂, CH₃Br, AuBr, FeI_(x) (x=1, 2, 3, or 4),FeBr_(y) (y=1, 2, 3, or 4). FeCl_(z) (z=1, 2, 3, or 4). MgBr₂, MgCl₂,MnBr₂, MnCl₂, NiBr₂, NiCl₂, NiI₂. ZnBr₂, ZnCl₂, ZnI₂, CaI₂, CaBr₂,CaCl₂, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 79 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-78,further comprising adding an ammonium salt into the flue gas to producea promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent.

Embodiment 80 provides the method of Embodiment 79, wherein the ammoniumsalt is an ammonium halide, a methylammonium halide, an ammonium salt ofan oxyacid of a Group VI element, an ammonium salt of an oxyacid of aGroup V element, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 81 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 79-80,wherein the ammonium salt is ammonium bromide, ammonium iodide, ammoniumchloride, an organic halide with a formula of CH₃NH₃X (wherein X is Cl,Br or I), ammonium sulfate, ammonium hydrogen sulfate, ammonium sulfite,ammonium hydrogen sulfite, ammonium persulfate, ammonium pyrosulfate,ammonium thiosulphate, ammonium dithionite, ammonium aluminium sulfate,ammonium iron sulfate, ammonium sulfamate, ammonium phosphate,diammonium phosphate, ammonium hydrogen phosphate, ammonium dihydrogenphosphate, ammonium thiophosate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrite,ammonium carbonate, ammonium thiocyanate, ammonium sulfide, ammoniumhydrogen sulfide, ammonium acetate, ammonium carbamate, ammoniumcarbonate, ammonium chlorate, ammonium chromate, ammonium fluoride,ammonium formate, ammonium hydroxide, ammonium perchlorate, or acombination thereof.

Embodiment 82 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-81,wherein said promoted sorbent comprises activated Lewis basic groups oractivated Lewis acid groups or combination thereof.

Embodiment 83 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-82,wherein said interaction between promoted sorbent and saidmercury-containing gas stream comprises:

mercury diffusing from the gas phase onto said promoted sorbent surface;and

reacting with activated Lewis basic groups or activated Lewis acidgroups or combination thereof to cause chemisorption on the sorbentsurface.

Embodiment 84 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-83,further comprising pretreating said sorbent to increase the number ofLewis basic groups or Lewis acid groups or combination thereof on saidsorbent.

Embodiment 85 provides the method of Embodiment 84, wherein pretreatingsaid sorbent comprises chemical treatment, thermal treatment, vacuumtreatment, and combinations thereof.

Embodiment 86 provides the method of Embodiment 85, wherein saidchemical treatment comprises acid treatment and alkaline treatment.

Embodiment 87 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-86,further comprising introducing an alkali component into themercury-containing gas.

Embodiment 88 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 50-87,wherein a carbon sorbent is reacted with said promoter to produce apromoted carbon sorbent.

Embodiment 89 provides the method of Embodiment 88, wherein said carbonsorbent or said promoter or combination thereof are introduced into themercury-containing gas at one or more locations.

Embodiment 90 provides the method of Embodiment 89, wherein the rate atwhich said carbon sorbent is introduced or the rate at which saidpromoter is introduced or combination thereof is adjusted according to amonitored mercury content in the cleaned gas so that the mercury contentof the cleaned gas is maintained at substantially a desired level.

Embodiment 91 provides a method for separating mercury from amercury-containing gas stream, the method comprising:

contacting a mercury-containing gas stream with a sorbent comprisingpromoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles, to form amercury-sorbent composition, wherein the ammonium salt-protected sorbentparticles are iodine-promoted, iodide-promoted, or a combinationthereof; and

separating at least some of the mercury-sorbent composition from themercury-containing gas stream, to give a separated gas.

Embodiment 92 provides the method of Embodiment 91, wherein the sorbentcomprises activated carbon, wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protectedsorbent particles comprise promoted ammonium salt-protected activatedcarbon sorbent particles.

Embodiment 93 provides the method of Embodiments 91-92, wherein thesorbent comprises a non-carbon sorbent, wherein the promoted ammoniumsalt-protected sorbent particles comprise promoted ammoniumsalt-protected non-carbon sorbent particles.

Embodiment 94 provides the method of Embodiment 91-93, furthercomprising combusting coal to form the mercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 95 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-94,wherein the mercury-containing gas stream comprises a concentration ofsulfur(VI) that is about 1 ppm-2000 ppm.

Embodiment 96 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-95,wherein the sorbent combines with about 0.001 wt % to about 100 wt % ofmercury in the mercury-containing gas stream to form the mercury-sorbentcomposition.

Embodiment 97 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-96,wherein the sorbent combines with at least about 70 wt % of mercury inthe mercury-containing gas stream to form the mercury-sorbentcomposition.

Embodiment 98 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-97,wherein the sorbent is in a fixed bed, in a moving bed, in a scrubber,in a filter, suspended in the mercury-containing gas stream, or acombination thereof.

Embodiment 99 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-98,further comprising adding a sorbent into the mercury-containing gasstream, wherein

the added sorbent is the sorbent comprising the promoted ammoniumsalt-protected sorbent particles,

the added sorbent is a precursor of the sorbent comprising the promotedammonium salt-protected sorbent particles with halide-promotion,ammonium salt-protection, or a combination thereof, occurring after theaddition of the precursor, or

a combination thereof.

Embodiment 100 provides the method of Embodiment 99, wherein the addedsorbent is the sorbent comprising the promoted ammonium salt-protectedsorbent particles.

Embodiment 101 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 99-100,wherein the precursor is a promoted non-ammonium salt-protected sorbent,wherein the ammonium salt-protection occurs after addition of theprecursor into the mercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 102 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 99-101,wherein the precursor is an ammonium salt-protected non-promotedsorbent, wherein the halide-promotion occurs after addition of theprecursor into the mercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 103 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 99-102,wherein the precursor is a non-promoted non-ammonium salt-protectedsorbent, wherein halide-promotion and ammonium salt-protection occursafter addition of the precursor in the mercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 104 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-103,wherein the sorbent comprises an alkaline component selected from thegroup consisting of alkali elements, alkaline earth elements, alkalisalts, alkaline earth salts, and combinations thereof.

Embodiment 105 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-104,wherein the sorbent comprises a mercury-stabilizing reagent selectedfrom the group consisting of S, Se, H₂S, SO₂, H₂Se, SeO₂, CS₂, P₂S₅, andcombinations thereof.

Embodiment 106 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-105,wherein the sorbent further comprises a substrate comprising at leastone of diatomaceous earth, a clay, a zeolite, or a mineral.

Embodiment 107 provides the method of Embodiment 106, wherein thesorbent comprises a product of subjecting a mixture comprising acarbonaceous material and the substrate to heating, microwaving,irradiating, or a combination thereof, comprises a material derived fromthe product via one or more of halide-promotion and ammoniumsalt-protection, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 108 provides the method of Embodiment 107, wherein theheating comprises heating to about 100° C. to about 1200° C.

Embodiment 109 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 107-108,wherein the heating of the mixture comprising the carbonaceous materialand the substrate to form the product thereof is performed prior tocontacting the activated sorbent and the mercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 110 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-109,wherein the sorbent comprises a carbon nanocomposite sorbent.

Embodiment 111 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-110,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles comprisepromoted ammonium salt-protected powdered activated carbon, granularactivated carbon, carbon black, carbon fiber, aerogel carbon, pyrolysischar, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 112 provides the method of Embodiment 111, wherein thepromoted ammonium salt-protected powdered activated carbon, granularactivated carbon, carbon black, carbon fiber, aerogel carbon, pyrolysischar, or a combination thereof have a particle size of about 0.1 μm toabout 1000 μm.

Embodiment 113 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 111-112,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected powdered activated carbon,granular activated carbon, carbon black, carbon fiber, aerogel carbon,pyrolysis char, or a combination thereof have a particle size of about0.1 μm to about 30 μm.

Embodiment 114 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-113,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles comprisea product of subjecting a mixture comprising a carbonaceous material anda nitrogenous material to heating, microwaving, irradiating, or acombination thereof, comprise a material derived from the product viaone or more of halide-promotion and ammonium salt-protection, or acombination thereof.

Embodiment 115 provides the method of Embodiment 114, wherein thepromoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles comprise a product ofacid or base treatment of the product of subjecting a mixture comprisinga carbonaceous material and a nitrogenous material to heating,microwaving, irradiating, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 116 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 114-115,wherein the carbonaceous material comprises powdered activated carbon,granular activated carbon, carbon black, carbon fiber, aerogel carbon,pyrolysis char, brown sugar, barley sugar, caramel, cane sugar, cornsyrup, starch, molasses, a glucan, a galactan, a xylan, a sugar wasteproduct, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 117 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 114-116,wherein the nitrogenous material comprises a nitrogen-containing organicor inorganic material.

Embodiment 118 provides the method of Embodiment 117, wherein thenitrogenous material comprises a nitrogen heterocycle, anitrogen-containing polymer or copolymer, a nitrile, a carbamate, anamino acid, nitrobenzene, hydroxylamine, urea, hydrazine, sulfamic acid,an ammonium salt, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 119 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 117-118,wherein the nitrogenous material comprises indole, quinoxaline,carbazole, isoquinoline, nitrobenzene, urea, sulfamic acid,polyvinylpyrrolidone, vinylpyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer,vinylpyrrolidone-acrylic acid copolymer, vinylpyrrolidone-maleic acidcopolymer, polyethylenimine, alanine, piperazine, quinolone,quinoxaline, diazabicyclooctane, an amino acid, an ammonium salt, or acombination thereof.

Embodiment 120 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-119,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent comprises a halide,a hydrogen halide, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 121 provides the method of Embodiment 120, wherein thehalide, hydrogen halide, or combination thereof is about 0.001 wt % toabout 30 wt % of the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent.

Embodiment 122 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 120-121,wherein the halide, hydrogen halide, or combination thereof is about 1wt % to about 15 wt % of the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent.

Embodiment 123 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-122,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent comprises ammonia,the ammonium salt, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 124 provides the method of Embodiment 123, wherein theammonia, the ammonium salt, or the combination thereof, is about 0.001wt % to about 30 wt % of the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent.

Embodiment 125 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 123-124,wherein the ammonia, the ammonium salt, or the combination thereof, isabout 0.01 wt % to about 15 wt % of the promoted ammonium salt-protectedsorbent.

Embodiment 126 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-125,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent comprises ananionic counterion of the ammonium salt.

Embodiment 127 provides the method of Embodiment 126, wherein theanionic counterion of the ammonium salt is about 0.001 wt % to about 30wt % of the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent.

Embodiment 128 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 126-127,wherein the anionic counterion of the ammonium salt is about 0.01 wt %to about 15 wt % of the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent.

Embodiment 129 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-128,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles comprisenitrogen atoms in at least a surface layer thereof.

Embodiment 130 provides the method of Embodiment 129, wherein thesurface layer of the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particlesis a continuous surface layer.

Embodiment 131 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 129-130,wherein the surface layer of the promoted ammonium salt-protectedsorbent particles has a thickness of about 0.001% to about 99% of aradius of the particles.

Embodiment 132 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 129-131,wherein the surface layer of the promoted ammonium salt-protectedsorbent particles has a thickness of about 0.001% to about 50% of aradius of the particles.

Embodiment 133 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 129-132,wherein the surface layer of the promoted ammonium salt-protectedsorbent particles comprises about 0.001 wt % to about 99 wt % nitrogen.

Embodiment 134 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 129-133,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles have anoverall nitrogen atom concentration of about 0.001 wt % to about 50 wt%.

Embodiment 135 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 129-134,wherein a concentration of nitrogen atoms in the surface layer isgreater than a concentration of nitrogen atoms in a core of the promotedammonium salt-protected sorbent particles.

Embodiment 136 provides the method of Embodiment 135, wherein the coreof the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles comprisesabout 0 wt % to about 99 wt % nitrogen atoms.

Embodiment 137 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 135-136,wherein the core of the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbentparticles comprises about 1 wt % to about 6 wt % nitrogen atoms.

Embodiment 138 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 135-137,wherein the surface layer of the promoted ammonium salt-protectedsorbent particles comprises about 0.001 wt % to about 99 wt % nitrogenatoms.

Embodiment 139 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 135-138,wherein the surface layer of the promoted ammonium salt-protectedsorbent particles comprises about 5 wt % to about 80 wt % nitrogenatoms.

Embodiment 140 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 129-139,wherein nitrogen atoms are substantially homogeneously distributedthroughout the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles.

Embodiment 141 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 129-140,wherein the nitrogen in the surface layer decreases neutralization ofcarbocations in the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particlesby at least one of SO₃, H₂SO₄, and HSO₄ ¹⁻, as compared to correspondingpromoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles comprising less orsubstantially no nitrogen in a corresponding particle surface layer.

Embodiment 142 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 129-141,wherein the nitrogen in the surface layer at least partially blockscarbocations in the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particlesfrom at least one of SO₃, H₂SO₄, and HSO₄ ¹⁻, as compared to acorresponding promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particlescomprising less or substantially no nitrogen in a corresponding particlesurface layer.

Embodiment 143 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 129-142,wherein the mercury-containing gas stream further comprises aconcentration of sulfur(VI) that is greater than about 0 ppm by mole andthe sorbent forms a mercury-sorbent composition at a higher absorptionrate relative to a corresponding sorbent comprising less orsubstantially no ammonium salt-protection.

Embodiment 144 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-143,wherein the mercury-containing gas stream further comprises aconcentration of sulfur(VI) that is greater than about 0 ppm by mole andthe sorbent forms a mercury-sorbent composition at a higher absorptionrate relative to a corresponding sorbent comprising at least one of

a) less or substantially no halide- or halogen-promotion, wherein thesorbent comprising the sorbent particles is halide- or halogen-promoted,and

b) less or substantially no ammonium salt-protection.

Embodiment 145 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-144,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles have aparticle size of about 0.1 μm to about 1000 μm.

Embodiment 146 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-145,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles have aparticle size of about 0.1 μm to about 10 μm.

Embodiment 147 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-146,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles arepromoted prior to addition to the mercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 148 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-147,further comprising promoting precursor sorbent particles with a promoterto form promoted sorbent particles.

Embodiment 149 provides the method of Embodiment 148, wherein promotingprecursor sorbent particles with the promoter comprises chemicallyreacting carbene species edge sites in the sorbent particles with thepromoter.

Embodiment 150 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 148-149,wherein promoting precursor sorbent particles with the promotercomprises subjecting a mixture comprising the precursor sorbentparticles and the promoter to heating, microwaving, irradiating, or acombination thereof.

Embodiment 151 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 148-150,wherein during the promoting the promoter is substantially in vapor orgaseous form.

Embodiment 152 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 148-151,wherein the promoting of the precursor sorbent particles occursin-flight in the mercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 153 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 148-152,wherein the promoting of the precursor sorbent particles occurs prior toaddition of the sorbent particles to the mercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 154 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 148-153,further comprising combusting coal that comprises the promoter, apromoter precursor, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 155 provides the method of Embodiment 154, wherein thepromoter precursor transforms into the promoter which then reacts with aprecursor sorbent to give a promoted sorbent.

Embodiment 156 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 154-155,further comprising adding the promoter, promoter precursor, or acombination thereof, to the coal prior to the combustion thereof.

Embodiment 157 provides the method of Embodiment 156, wherein thepromoter, promoter precursor, or a combination thereof, is added to thecoal in an organic solvent.

Embodiment 158 provides the method of Embodiment 157, wherein theorganic solvent is a hydrocarbon, a chlorinated hydrocarbon,supercritical carbon dioxide, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 159 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 148-158,wherein the promoting occurs in an aqueous scrubber, wherein thescrubber comprises an aqueous slurry that comprises the promoter.

Embodiment 160 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 148-159,further comprising adding into the mercury-containing gas stream thepromoter, a promoter precursor, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 161 provides the method of Embodiment 160, wherein thepromoter, promoter precursor, or a combination thereof, is addedtogether with the precursor sorbent particles into themercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 162 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 160-161,wherein the promoter, promoter precursor, or a combination thereof, isadded into the mercury-containing gas stream separately from addition ofthe precursor sorbent particles into the mercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 163 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 148-162,wherein the promoter is HCl, HBr, HI, Br₂, Cl₂, I₂, BrCl, IBr, ICl, ClF,PBr₃, PCl₅, SCl₂, CuCl₂, CuBr₂, Al₂Br₆, FeI_(x) (x=1, 2, 3, or 4),FeBr_(y) (y=1, 2, 3, or 4), FeCl_(z) (z=1, 2, 3, or 4), MnBr₂, MnCl₂,NiBr₂, NiCl₂, NiI₂, ZnBr₂, ZnCl₂, ZnI₂, NH₄Br, NH₄C, NH₄I, NH₄F, or acombination thereof.

Embodiment 164 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 148-163,wherein the promoter is HBr.

Embodiment 165 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 148-164,further comprising forming the promoter from a promoter precursor.

Embodiment 166 provides the method of Embodiment 165, wherein thepromoter precursor is an elemental halogen, a Group V halide, a Group VIhalide, a hydrohalide, an ammonium halide, a metal halide, a nonmetalhalide, an alkali earth metal halide, an alkaline earth metal halide, ora combination thereof.

Embodiment 167 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 165-166,wherein the promoter precursor is NaBr, NaCl, NaI, Br⁻, Cl⁻, I⁻, KI,KCl, LiCl, LiBr, CuCl₂, CuBr₂, AgCl, AgBr, CHI₃, CaI₂, CH₃Br, AuBr,FeI_(x) (x=1, 2, 3, or 4), FeBr_(y) (y=1, 2, 3, or 4), FeCl_(z) (z=1, 2,3, or 4), MgBr₂, MgCl₂, MnBr₂, MnCl₂, NiBr₂, NiCl₂, NiI₂, ZnBr₂, ZnCl₂,ZnI₂, CaI₂, CaBr₂, CaCl₂, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 168 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 165-167,wherein the promoter precursor has a particle size of about 0.1 μm toabout 1000 μm.

Embodiment 169 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-168,further comprising protecting promoted sorbent particles with anammonium salt, to form the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbentparticles.

Embodiment 170 provides the method of Embodiment 169, wherein protectingpromoted sorbent particles with the ammonium salt comprises subjecting amixture comprising the promoted sorbent particles and the ammonium saltto heating, microwaving, irradiating, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 171 provides the method of Embodiment 170, wherein themixture comprising the promoted sorbent particles and the ammonium salthas a ratio of the promoted sorbent particles to the ammonium salt ofabout 1:100 to about 100:1.

Embodiment 172 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 170-171,wherein the mixture comprising the promoted sorbent particles and theammonium salt has a ratio of the promoted sorbent particles to theammonium salt of about 1:1 to about 1:5.

Embodiment 173 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-172,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles areammonium salt-protected prior to addition to the mercury-containing gasstream.

Embodiment 174 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 169-173,wherein the ammonium salt-protection of the promoted sorbent particlesor of precursor sorbent particles occurs in-flight in themercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 175 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 169-174,wherein the ammonium salt-protection of the promoted sorbent particlesor of precursor sorbent particles occurs prior to addition of thepromoted sorbent particles to the mercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 176 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 169-175,further comprising combusting coal that comprises the ammonium salt.

Embodiment 177 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 169-176,further comprising adding into the mercury-containing gas stream theammonium salt.

Embodiment 178 provides the method of Embodiment 177, wherein theammonium salt is added together with the promoted sorbent particles orprecursor sorbent particles into the mercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 179 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 177-178,wherein the ammonium salt is added into the mercury-containing gasstream separately from addition of the promoted sorbent particles orprecursor sorbent particles into the mercury-containing gas stream.

Embodiment 180 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 169-179,wherein the ammonium salt is an ammonium halide, a methylammoniumhalide, an ammonium salt of an oxyacid of a Group VI element, anammonium salt of an oxyacid of a Group V element, or a combinationthereof.

Embodiment 181 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 169-180,wherein the ammonium salt is ammonium bromide, ammonium iodide, ammoniumchloride, an organic halide with a formula of CH₃NH₃X (wherein X is Cl,Br or I), ammonium sulfate, ammonium hydrogen sulfate, ammonium sulfite,ammonium hydrogen sulfite, ammonium persulfate, ammonium pyrosulfate,ammonium thiosulphate, ammonium dithionite, ammonium aluminium sulfate,ammonium iron sulfate, ammonium sulfamate, ammonium phosphate,diammonium phosphate, ammonium hydrogen phosphate, ammonium dihydrogenphosphate, ammonium thiophosate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrite,ammonium carbonate, ammonium thiocyanate, ammonium sulfide, ammoniumhydrogen sulfide, ammonium acetate, ammonium carbamate, ammoniumcarbonate, ammonium chlorate, ammonium chromate, ammonium fluoride,ammonium formate, ammonium hydroxide, ammonium perchlorate, or acombination thereof.

Embodiment 182 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 169-181,wherein the ammonium salt is ammonium sulfate.

Embodiment 183 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 169-182,wherein the ammonium salt has a particle size of about 0.1 μm to about1000 μm.

Embodiment 184 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 169-183,wherein the ammonium salt has a particle size of about 0.1 μm to about10 μm.

Embodiment 185 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-184,wherein contacting the mercury-containing gas stream with the sorbentcomprising promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles to formthe mercury-sorbent composition comprises chemically reacting themercury in the mercury-containing gas stream with the promoted ammoniumsalt-protected sorbent.

Embodiment 186 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-185,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles compriseactive sites, wherein the active sites comprise halide anions bound tothe sorbent particles.

Embodiment 187 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-186,wherein the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particles compriseactive sites, wherein the active sites comprise carbocations bound tohalide anions.

Embodiment 188 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-187,wherein carbocations in the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbentparticles accept electrons from mercury atoms of the mercury-sorbentparticulate.

Embodiment 189 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-188,wherein in the promoted ammonium salt-protected sorbent particlesammonia or an anionic ammonium counterion derived from the ammonium saltintercepts SO₂, SO₃, NO_(x), selenates, or a combination thereof, in themercury-containing gas stream, preventing reaction thereof with activecarbon sites in the promoted ammonium salt-protected.

Embodiment 190 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-189,wherein ammonia or an anionic ammonium counterion derived from theammonium salt intercepts SO₃ in the mercury-containing gas stream,preventing reaction thereof with active carbon sites in the promotedammonium salt-protected.

Embodiment 191 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-190,wherein the separating at least some of the mercury-sorbent compositionfrom the mercury-containing gas stream comprises separating in aparticulate separator.

Embodiment 192 provides the method of Embodiment 191, wherein theparticulate separator comprises an electrostatic precipitator (ESP), abaghouse, a wet scrubber, a filter, cyclone, fabric separator, or anycombination thereof.

Embodiment 193 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-192,further comprising regenerating the mercury-sorbent composition to givea regenerated sorbent.

Embodiment 194 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 91-193,wherein the contacting, the separating, or a combination thereof, occursin an aqueous scrubber.

Embodiment 195 provides the method of Embodiment 194, wherein thescrubber comprises an aqueous slurry that comprises the sorbent.

Embodiment 196 provides a method for separating mercury from amercury-containing gas stream, the method comprising:

contacting a mercury-containing gas stream with an activated carbonsorbent comprising HI-promoted ammonium sulfate-protected activatedcarbon sorbent particles, to form a mercury-sorbent composition; and

separating at least some of the mercury-sorbent composition from themercury-containing gas stream, to give a separated gas.

Embodiment 197 provides ammonium salt-protected activated carbon sorbentparticles comprising

active sites that bind with mercury atoms, wherein the active sitescomprise carbocations bound to promoter anions, and

ammonia, an ammonium salt, or a combination thereof, in at least asurface layer thereof.

Embodiment 198 provides the ammonium salt-protected activated carbonsorbent particles of Embodiment 197, wherein the ammonium salt-protectedactivated carbon sorbent particles are promoted ammonium salt-protectedactivated carbon sorbent particles comprising active sites that bindwith mercury atoms, wherein the active sites comprise carbocations boundto promoter anions.

Embodiment 199 provides the ammonium salt-protected activated carbonsorbent particles of any one of Embodiments 197-198, wherein thepromoted ammonium salt-protected activated carbon sorbent particlesfurther comprise an anionic counterion.

Embodiment 200 provides the ammonium salt-protected activated carbonsorbent particles of any one of Embodiments 198-199, wherein the anioniccounterion is derived from the ammonium salt.

Embodiment 201 provides a method of making the ammonium salt-protectedactivated carbon particles of any one of Embodiments 197-200, the methodcomprising:

subjecting a mixture comprising a precursor activated carbon sorbent andan ammonium salt to heating, microwaving, irradiation, or a combinationthereof, to form an activated carbon sorbent comprising the ammoniumsalt-protected activated carbon sorbent particles.

Embodiment 202 provides the method of Embodiment 201, wherein theprecursor activated carbon sorbent is a promoted activated carbonsorbent.

Embodiment 203 provides the method of any one of Embodiments 201-202,further comprising promoting an activated carbon with a promoter toprovide the precursor activated carbon sorbent.

Embodiment 204 provides a method for separating mercury from amercury-containing gas stream, the method comprising:

contacting a mercury-containing gas stream with a sorbent comprisingpromoted or non-promoted activated carbon sorbent particles and ammonia,to form a mercury-sorbent composition; and

separating at least some of the mercury-sorbent composition from themercury-containing gas stream, to give a separated gas.

Embodiment 205 provides the method of Embodiment 204, wherein theammonia or a precursor thereof is added into the mercury-containing gasstream.

Embodiment 206 provides the Embodiment of any one or any combination ofEmbodiments 1-205 optionally configured such that all elements oroptions recited are available to use or select from.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of separating mercury from amercury-containing gas, the method comprising: combusting in acombustion chamber coal fed to the combustion chamber, and a halogen orhalide promoter, a promoter precursor that transforms into the promoter,or combination thereof, added to the coal, added to the combustionchamber, or a combination thereof, to provide the mercury-containinggas, wherein the mercury-containing gas comprises the halogen or halidepromoter, the halogen or halide promoter and promoter precursorcomprises iodine (I₂), iodide (I⁻), or a combination thereof, and theI₂, I⁻, or the combination thereof added to the combustion chamber,added to the coal, or a combination thereof is about 1 to about 3000ppmw per weight of the coal fed to the combustion chamber; adding anammonium salt into the mercury-containing gas; adding a sorbent materialinto the mercury-containing gas downstream of the combustion chambersuch that the sorbent material contacts the halogen or halide promoterin the mercury-containing gas; contacting mercury in themercury-containing gas with the sorbent, to form a mercury/sorbentcomposition; and separating the mercury/sorbent composition from themercury-containing gas.
 2. The method of claim 1, comprising adding thepromoter into the combustion chamber, placing the promoter on the coalprior to combusting the coal, adding the promoter precursor into thecombustion chamber that transforms into the promoter, placing thepromoter precursor on the coal prior to combusting the coal, or acombination thereof.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one ofthe promoter and the promoter precursor is independently IBr, ICl,FeI_(x) (x=1, 2, 3, or 4), NiI₂, ZnI₂, NH₄I, NaI, I⁻, KI, CHI₃, CaI₂, ora combination thereof.
 4. The method of claim I, wherein the halogen orhalide promoter comprises HI, a Group V iodide, a Group VI iodide, or acombination thereof.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising addinga secondary material into the mercury-containing gas downstream of thecombustion chamber, wherein the secondary material comprises an alkalinematerial, a clay, halogen, a compound derived from a halogen, ahydrohalide, a compound comprising a Group V or Group VI element and amolecular halogen, or a combination thereof.
 6. The method of claim I,wherein the sorbent material added into the mercury-containing gascomprises at least one of a carbon sorbent material and a non-carbonsorbent material.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the carbon sorbentmaterial is activated carbon.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein theammonium salt is ammonium bromide, ammonium iodide, ammonium chloride,an organic halide with a formula of CH₃NH₃X (wherein X is Cl, Br or I),ammonium sulfate, ammonium hydrogen sulfate, ammonium sulfite, ammoniumhydrogen sulfite, ammonium persulfate, ammonium pyrosulfate, ammoniumthiosulphate, ammonium dithionite, ammonium aluminum sulfate, ammoniumiron sulfate, ammonium sulfamate, ammonium phosphate, diammoniumphosphate, ammonium hydrogen phosphate, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate,ammonium thiophosate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrite, ammoniumcarbonate, ammonium thiocyanate, ammonium sulfide, ammonium hydrogensulfide, ammonium acetate, ammonium carbamate, ammonium carbonate,ammonium chlorate, ammonium chromate, ammonium fluoride, ammoniumformate, ammonium hydroxide, ammonium perchlorate, or a combinationthereof.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the ammonium salt is ammoniumsulfate.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sorbent comprisesactivated carbon.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the sorbentcomprises a non-carbon sorbent.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein thesorbent material added to the mercury-containing gas comprises anon-promoted non-ammonium salt-protected sorbent.
 13. The method ofclaim 1, wherein adding the ammonium salt into the mercury-containinggas forms ammonium salt-protected activated carbon sorbent particlescomprising active sites that bind with mercury atoms, wherein the activesites comprise carbocations bound to iodide-promoter anions, andammonia, an ammonium salt, or a combination thereof, in at least asurface layer thereof.
 14. The method of claim 1, comprising adding thepromoter into the combustion chamber, placing the promoter on the coalprior to combusting the coal, or a combination thereof.
 15. The methodof claim 1, comprising adding the promoter precursor into the combustionchamber that transforms into the promoter, placing the promoterprecursor on the coal prior to combusting the coal, or a combinationthereof.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the I₂, I⁻, or thecombination thereof added to the combustion chamber, added to the coal,or a combination thereof is about 1 to about 1000 ppmw per weight of thecoal fed to the combustion chamber.
 17. The method of claim 1, whereinthe I₂, I⁻, or the combination thereof added to the combustion chamber,added to the coal, or a combination thereof is about 1 to about 500 ppmwper weight of the coal fed to the combustion chamber.
 18. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the I₂, I⁻, or the combination thereof added to thecombustion chamber, added to the coal, or a combination thereof is about0.001 wt % to about 30 wt % of the sorbent material added to themercury-containing gas.
 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the I₂, I⁻,or the combination thereof added to the combustion chamber, added to thecoal, or a combination thereof is about 0.1 wt % to about 30 wt % of thesorbent material added to the mercury-containing gas.
 20. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the I₂, I⁻, or the combination thereof added to thecombustion chamber added to the coal, or a combination thereof is about1 wt % to about 30 wt % of the sorbent material added to themercury-containing gas.
 21. A method of separating mercury from amercury-containing gas, the method comprising: combusting in acombustion chamber coal fed to the combustion chamber, and a halogen orhalide promoter, a promoter precursor that transforms into the promoter,or a combination thereof, added to the coal, added to the combustionchamber, or a combination thereof, to provide the mercury-containinggas, when the mercury-containing gas comprises the halogen or halidepromoter, and the halogen or halide promoter and promoter precursorcomprises iodine (I₂), iodide (I⁻), or a combination thereof; adding anammonium salt into the mercury-containing gas; adding a sorbent materialinto the mercury-containing gas downstream of the combustion chambersuch that the sorbent material contacts the halogen or halide promoterin the mercury-containing gas, wherein the I₂, I⁻, or the combinationthereof added to the combustion chamber, added to the coal, or acombination thereof is about 0.001 wt % to about 30 wt % of the sorbentmaterial added to the mercury-containing gas; contacting mercury in themercury-containing gas with the sorbent, to form a mercury/sorbentcomposition; and separating the mercury/sorbent composition from themercury-containing gas.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the I₂, I⁻,or the combination thereof added to the combustion chamber, added to thecoal, or a combination thereof is about 30 wt % of the sorbent materialadded to the mercury-containing gas.
 23. The method of claim 21, whereinthe I₂, I⁻, or the combination thereof added to the combustion chamber,added to the coal, or a combination thereof is about 1 wt % to about 30wt % of the sorbent material added to the mercury-containing gas.